The LSU men’s basketball team’s start to the 2014-15 season has been full of ups and downs.
The Tigers’ (6-2) season began with high expectations, with junior transfer guards Josh Gray and Keith Hornsby joining the starting lineup alongside sophomore forwards Jarell Martin and Jordan Mickey.
LSU’s added size gave Tiger fans plenty to be excited about heading into the regular season after the Tigers defeated Morehouse College in an exhibition game, 71-47, heading into its first regular season matchup against Gardner-Webb on Nov. 15.
The Tigers struggled with Gardner-Webb in their season opener in the PMAC, trailing by one at the half. But a 51-point second half outburst led by Mickey and Martin helped the Tigers get their first win on the season, 93-82.
LSU took the momentum into its game against Texas Tech, which was a defensive struggle on both sides. The Tigers and the Red Raiders both shot less than 40 percent on the game, with the Tigers eventually coming out on top in overtime, 69-64, behind Mickey’s 18 points.
Martin said after the game the lack of production shooting the basketball was tough to deal with for much of the night.
“We got some good looks and knowing we were not able to knock down some shots was very frustrating,” Martin said. “We had to come up with another game plan and try to get the ball in the hole and also try to get to the free throw line.”
The new game plan didn’t do much for the Tigers throughout the next week of the season when they headed to the U.S. Virgin Islands to participate in the 2014 Paradise Jam, where they limped to a 1-2 showing.
LSU shot the ball more than 40 percent once during the trip, which was in a losers bracket win against Weber State on Nov. 22. The Tigers shot 49 percent from the field and defeated Weber State by 14.
The Tigers’ struggles out in the islands were a cause for concern when the team arrived back in the states for its next matchup against McNeese State on Nov. 29.
Since the debacle in the islands, the Tigers have turned their offense around, blowing out both McNeese State and UMass while shooting more than 50 percent in both games.
The momentum LSU gained with its two home wins helped the Tigers get their biggest win of the season when they upset No. 16 West Virginia, 74-73, on a last-second layup by Gray.
With part one of the Tigers’ season now complete, it seems the team is beginning to click with Southeastern Conference play on the horizon.
Gray and Hornsby have started to grow into their own after struggles to begin the year, with Gray scoring a career-high 25 points against UMass and Hornsby scoring 15 points against West Virginia while going perfect from behind-the-arc.
Mixed with the All-SEC play of Mickey and Martin, who both average near double-doubles on the season, the Tigers have the potential to become a second place finisher behind No. 1 Kentucky in the SEC. But the Tigers need more production out of their bench to make an NCAA Tournament run Tiger fans have been waiting for since coach Johnny Jones took over the team.
Sophomore guard Tim Quarterman has been the Tigers’ only bench producer, averaging close to 31 minutes per game to go along with his 11.9 points per game. Quarterman’s increased production has sparked the Tigers lately, but the team will probably need more to end up where it wants to be when the season concludes in March.
The Tigers’ bench is averaging only 10.1 points per game heading into the break.
Gray said it can be hard for players to produce off the bench when they’re not called on for much of the game, but he said they have to be ready when their names are called.
LSU returns to action on Dec. 13 against Sam Houston State with only five games remaining until SEC play.