For the LSU men’s basketball team, winter break began with a bang and ended with a whimper.
The Tigers rode a stifling defense and timely shooting to seven straight wins in December, but January hasn’t brought similar prosperity.
LSU (11-6, 1-2 Southeastern Conference) has dropped three of its last four against solid competition, falling to No. 23 Virginia at home, 57-52, and dropping two SEC road tilts at Arkansas (69-60) and Alabama (69-53) in the past week.
“In the Alabama game, we just didn’t compete well, which was more disappointing than losing, really,” said LSU sophomore guard Ralston Turner. “Against Virginia, everything was contested, and we just had a few breakdowns. Arkansas came down to not making some key shots.”
LSU coach Trent Johnson said the Tigers hope to put a stop to any perceived “bleeding” when an improved Auburn squad (11-6, 1-2 SEC) marches into the PMAC tonight.
“It’s been tough to put that Arkansas loss behind us,” Johnson said. “The ball just didn’t go down when we found open looks. We’re excited that the next game comes quick, though, and Auburn has taken some positive steps this year, individually and collectively.”
The SEC’s other Tigers are perennial conference doormats, but have shown life this season. Auburn played a top-5 Kentucky squad to a virtual draw through 35 minutes last week before falling, 68-53, and outlasted Ole Miss, 69-68, in double overtime last Saturday.
The Plainsmen are led by dynamic senior forward Kenny Gabriel, a 6-foot-8 slasher whose leaping dunks and acrobatic blocks have led to numerous highlight-reel moments during his time at Auburn.
Gabriel is one of the league’s most versatile performers, averaging 11.5 points, eight rebounds, two steals and three blocks per game.
Junior guard Frankie Sullivan is often Gabriel’s running mate in the Auburn backcourt, averaging a team-high 11.6 points per game.
For LSU, the refrain for improvement, starting against Auburn, is familiar: offensive efficiency.
The Tigers have held 11 opponents below the 60-point plateau this season, winning 10 of those games.
But when LSU’s defense has even marginally loosened, it’s spelled trouble for a Tiger squad that has relied on winning the turnover margin and a strong post game to wear down foes in their victories.
Turner, an All-SEC Freshman selection last year, has been at the forefront of the Tigers’ perimeter scoring woes this season.
Since pouring in 22 points to spur LSU’s marquee non-conference victory against No. 10 Marquette on Dec. 19, Turner has averaged just six points in the last six games and made only four of his 24 shots in three conference games.
“One thing we’ve been trying to encourage him with is just being a little more confident when he catches in position to shoot,” said senior reserve guard Chris Bass. “I see him hesitate sometimes, and he didn’t do that as much last year. He’s putting in the work to get the shots falling again, but I think it starts with that aggressiveness.”
Junior center Justin Hamilton, an Iowa State transfer, has emerged as a go-to threat in the paint for LSU.
Hamilton has been the lone bright spot during the Tigers’ dismal January, averaging 18 points and 10 rebounds since the calendar turned to 2012.
His 44-point, 25-rebound week against Virginia and Ole Miss earned Hamilton SEC Player of the Week honors two weeks ago.
Despite the recent losses, senior forward Storm Warren said he has seen a humble vibe within the Tiger locker room — a reassuring sign for a youthful squad that is also missing freshman Johnny O’Bryant III for the rest of the month due to a fractured hand.
“I’ve been here and been through the ups and downs,” Warren said. “I like that we’re accepting any challenge that comes. The guys haven’t been cocky when we were winning, and they’re not accepting defeat right now. Auburn is our first step back, and a game that will show our resilience.”
 
 
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Contact Chris Abshire at [email protected]