LSU senior guard Charles Carmouche dribbled up-court as Marquette players raced back to defend the fast break. Carmouche glanced to his right, where junior guard Andre Stringer had pulled up at the wing.
In an instant, Carmouche made the pass to Stringer, who planted his feet and ascended over the outstretched hand of the defender. A flick of the wrist later, the ball found the net to tie the game at 49 and erase a 21-point deficit.
LSU would end up losing the game, but Stringer would finish with six 3-pointers, 20 points and, eventually, the title of Louisiana Sports Writers Association Player of the Week. Stringer has started every game since the loss to the Golden Eagles and his 41.7 percent on 3-point shots was third best in the Southeastern Conference prior to the South Carolina game.
“I put countless hours in the gym working on my shot, perfecting different ways to shoot jumpers,” Stringer said. “It’s been an ongoing experience from high school until now.”
Stringer came to LSU from Forest Hill High School in Jackson, Miss., where he was the all-time leading scorer for the Patriots. He averaged 26 points and nine assists during his high school career and was named Mississippi’s Mr. Basketball in 2009 and 2010.
Former LSU assistant coach Brent Scott recruited Stringer, who felt “right at home” on his official visits.
“Coming here, I felt like the LSU family was a good family for me,” Stringer said. “…I came on my visit, and it was a nice surrounding with nice advisers, nice people around this community. It just made me feel good.”
Standing at 5-foot-10, Stringer is always one of the smaller players on the floor. Though Stringer’s combination of height and proficiency from the perimeter would likely limit him to playing as a pure shooter, Stringer said he’s not afraid to penetrate to the basket.
“I’ve been playing all my life with a chip on my shoulder because I am a smaller guy,” Stringer said. “There have been a lot of naysayers in my career, [saying] ‘he’s too small, he [isn’t] big enough to do this or that.’ I kind of used that as my motivation.”
The occasional 3-point burst isn’t the only way Stringer lifts his team. Coach Johnny Jones’ system calls for fast-paced play on both sides of the floor, and Stringer’s feisty defense has translated into 14 steals on the season.
Sophomore forward Johnny O’Bryant III, whose post presence often warrants double teams that leave shooters open, said knowing that Stringer can knock down 3-pointers consistently has been helpful to him and the team.
“Andre’s a great shooter, and he’s been giving us a lot of offense this year,” O’Bryant said. “…[When] Andre raises up for a shot, I think it’s going in every time. I kind of get disappointed when he passes up on open shots.”
Stringer expressed the same kind of unwavering belief in his 3-point stroke, as evidenced by his willingness to attempt shots from well behind the arc. But that doesn’t mean Stringer takes every open jumper.
“I have ultimate faith in my shot, just based off the practice I get in on it, be it after practice or on the off days getting shots in,” Stringer said. “Coach Jones really hasn’t given me a limit [on my shot], but I know what’s good for our team.”
“I’ve been playing all my life with a chip on my shoulder because I am a smaller guy…I kind of used that as my motivation.”
