Junior point guard Tack Minor was joking with his teammates before Wednesday’s pep rally for the LSU men’s basketball teams’ Final Four appearance.
But when the laughter stops and he stares into space with a deep look of hurt in his eyes, it is not hard to figure out what’s bothering him. It’s the same thing bothering transfers Terry Martin Jr. and Dameon Mason.
“Man … I want to play so bad it’s pitiful.” Minor said.
Minor is one of several LSU basketball players who feel the men’s and women’s teams runs to the Final Four have been bittersweet because they will not be able to participate.
Minor received a medical red shirt this season after surgery on the torn meniscus in his left knee and will get his eligibility back next season, which Minor said he would give up for a chance to play in the LSU men’s first Final Four appearance in 20 years.
“The whole year, with all these activities, would have just been a dream to me, and to miss it is hard,” Minor said. “If coach told me I could play right now, I swear I’d lose my red shirt. I’d do it in a minute.”
LSU forward Darnell Lazare, who signed with Minor in LSU’s 2003 class, said Minor’s thoughts of blowing a whole year for two games were understandable, but if Brady does not let him play, Minor still may get his chance.
“With him coming back next year, I think we have another opportunity to be back,” Lazare said. “So his opportunity to play in a Final Four isn’t done yet.”
Mason and Martin both said they understand Minor’s pain. They are also ineligible for the men’s Final Four after transferring from Marquette and Texas Tech, respectively.
Martin started the first eight games of this season for Texas Tech and averaged 7.4 points and 3.6 rebounds before transferring. The 6-foot-6-inch guard from Monroe said that when he started to practice with the Tigers in January, he knew they were a special group.
“Sometimes I don’t even want to watch them play,” Martin said of the team’s tournament run. “I want to play so bad, and I can see myself helping the team so much it hurts.”
The hurt does not stop with the men’s team.
Women’s basketball guard Katie Antony is forced to watch her teammates play after practicing with them all season.
“Watching the SEC tournament was miserable, so I know this will be hard.” Antony said. “I knew it was going to be hard with me sitting out, but once you start living it, it’s 10 times worse than what you thought.”
Antony transferred to LSU from Vanderbilt, where she averaged 4.4 points and 2.2 assist in two seasons and only reached the third round of the NCAA tournament.
“I was so excited for practice,” Antony said. “I was like this is my national championship.”
Although the four players who will all miss their first Final Four experience are hurting, they all agree they can pull something positive from the situation.
“It makes me anxious and appreciate playing a whole lot more,” Antony said. “I can’t wait to get back out there.”
 
Contact Jeff Martin at [email protected]