The LSU men’s basketball team takes to the road for the final time during the regular season when it travels to College Station, Texas tonight for a rematch with Texas A&M.
The Tigers (17-10, 8-8 Southeastern Conference) have struggled on the road this year, their 3-8 away record paling in comparison with their 14-2 home mark. LSU’s road wins came against Mississippi State, South Carolina – the bottom two teams in the SEC – and UC-Irvine, three squads that average out to a 43.7 winning percentage.
Junior guard Andre Stringer noted the stark differences between LSU’s home and away performances and said his team should play the same no matter the venue.
“I think we have to maintain what we do well at home,” Stringer said. “We have to rebound the ball, we have to take care of the ball, and we’ve got to be aggressive. We’ve got to do the things that we normally do here at home when we’re away, and I think we’ll be fine if we do those things.”
LSU’s last road defeat came Saturday against Missouri, when it was outscored 52-24 in the paint. LSU hasn’t lost back-to-back games this season aside from its four-game losing streak to open conference play, and the Tigers ended that midseason skid with a 58-54 home win against Texas A&M (17-12, 7-9 SEC).
The Tigers shut down Texas A&M senior guard Elston Turner in the first game, limiting the Aggies’ leading scorer to just five points. Turner’s average 18 points per game is tied for second in the SEC.
“I think [Turner] just had a tough shooting night here,” said LSU coach Johnny Jones. “You just look for him that he will definitely come out shooting and looking to make some shots in this game on Wednesday. … Our deal is to hope that we can contain him, slow him up a little bit and be hopeful as a team that they don’t shoot the ball as well [as they usually do].”
Sophomore guard Anthony Hickey drew Honey Badger-like comparisons in the earlier matchup as he picked the Aggies’ pockets for a career-high eight steals. Hickey’s standout night plagued Texas A&M, which turned the ball over a season-high 24 times.
With only two games remaining in the regular season and the SEC Tournament looming, the Tigers’ audition for a postseason tournament berth is coming to a close. Even if the Tigers stumble in College Station, Stringer said their mindset will allow them to bounce back just as they have all year.
“This whole year has been a struggle for us,” Stringer said. “We’ve had some ups and downs. Obviously, a lot of people around us and who support us didn’t think we would make it this far. … We were never satisfied. We always played for what’s in that locker and our abilities within. That’s why when we lose, we move on.”
Who: LSU (17-10, 8-8 SEC) at Texas A&M (17-12, 7-9 SEC)
When: Wednesday, March 6 at 7 p.m.
Where: Reed Arena in College Station, Texas
Watch/Listen at: SEC Network, 98.1 FM
