LSU defeated the University of Texas 70-60 this past season in the NCAA Elite Eight to advance to the Final Four for the third time in the Tigers’ history. The two teams square off again Sunday at 7 p.m. in Houston, in front of a nationally televised audience. Texas is not the same team LSU played in the 2006 NCAA Tournament, after losing all five starters from this past season’s team. The Longhorns have relied heavily on two true freshmen so far this season. Freshman forward Kevin Durant leads Texas, averaging 23 points per game and nine rebounds a game. New Orleans native and former Brother Martin High School guard D.J. Augustin has averaged 9 points and just under seven assists per game for the Longhorns in his freshman season. LSU coach John Brady will receive an early Christmas present following the Texas game. Sophomore guard Terry Martin Jr. is expected to play after transferring from Texas Tech University this past winter. “He will be back for the Oregon State [University] or [University of] Washington game,” Brady said. “It depends when we get his grades posted.” The Tigers play 10 games from Dec. 17 to Jan. 17, including road contests against the universities of Washington and the Alabama. LSU coach John Brady said Martin’s presence will make the Tigers a better team. “I really wish we’d be able to have Terry out there with us now,” he said. “His shooting and versatility will be able to help us this spring.” Martin averaged more than 7 points per game this past season as a freshman at Texas Tech University before transferring to LSU. “I wasn’t really happy with [Texas Tech],” Martin said. “I wanted to be closer to home because I was home sick.” LSU sophomore guard Ben Voogd is also someone who will be closer to home during winter break. The Tigers will have a two-game West Coast trip a week before Christmas that will take LSU into Voogd’s home state of Oregon when the Tigers play Oregon State. The Tigers will play three games in as many days against Wright State University, Mississippi Valley State and Samford University on Dec. 27-29, respectively, when they host the Hispanic College Fund Classic in the PMAC. Mississippi Valley State University coach James Green said he is looking forward to playing LSU. “Anytime you can play great competition and it’s for a good cause, then my team is interested,” he said. LSU opens 2007 with a difficult stretch of games, highlighted by the University of Connecticut coming to the PMAC on Jan. 6. The UConn game will be the Tigers’ final game before Southeastern Conference play begins. ESPN’s “College GameDay” will be in Baton Rouge for the game, marking the first time that it comes to LSU since the basketball version of the show began. LSU opens SEC play against Western Division runner-up Alabama on Jan. 9 in Tuscaloosa, Ala. The Crimson Tide was picked to win the SEC West at the SEC Preseason Media Day. Brady said he does not worry about preseason predictions, and his team will let its play speak for itself. “I don’t care about those things,” he said. “But obviously it shows the respect people have for the Alabama team. We just need to play like we’re capable, and good things will happen.”
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