Amid the March Madness Final Four buzz, the LSU men’s basketball team lifted weights Monday afternoon – a stark contrast from the past season’s Final Four appearance.
Monday’s workout was the first time the team gathered since the Tigers 80-60 loss March 9 to the University of Mississippi in the Southeastern Conference Tournament and ended their season without an NCAA or NIT tournament bid.
“I’d rather be playing than sitting here watching it,” sophomore guard Ben Voogd said. “But it’s our own fault for not being there. We’re sitting here lifting weights instead.”
The Oregon native said he did not fill out a bracket, but cheered Sunday for the University of Oregon Ducks before their Elite Eight loss to the University of Florida.
Sophomore guard Garrett Temple said Monday’s workout helped ease the frustration of watching the tournament from home.
“It hurts,” Temple said. “It makes us want to work harder and get back there.”
Temple said he hopes Florida will repeat as National Champions because of his Florida friends Taurean Green, Al Horford and Corey Brewer.
Sophomore center Chris Johnson has a different view about the Gators.
“I wanted Florida to lose in the first round,” Johnson said.
Johnson said he picked the Ohio State University Buckeyes to win over the University of Wisconsin Badgers, who lost in the second round.
“My bracket is pretty much messed up,” he said.
Johnson said watching from home is a motivational factor he will carry with him to the next season.
“It’s just weird not being there,” Johnson said. “It’s weird watching games. I’m anxious to play, so it could help me.”
Sophomore forward Tasmin Mitchell chose not to watch any NCAA Tournament games except the NCAA Women’s Tournament to support the Lady Tigers.
“I haven’t really been looking at [the games],” Mitchell said. “It’s not difficult, but I just have too much pride for that. We should have made it to the tournament. We should be where they are right now.”
Mitchell said the Tigers’ regular season win over Florida shows they could compete with the current Final Four teams.
“All of the teams that are in the Final Four we can beat,” Mitchell said. “We’re just as good as them. We just didn’t so happen to have the perfect season in order for us to get there.”
A “perfect season” eluded the Tigers (17-15) this season, but Voogd said Monday’s workout was a reminder that preparation for the next season has already begun.
“I mean you could tell in the weight room today that we’re going to be more serious this year,” Voogd said. “We’re motivated already to go out there and do better. It’s just going to be a different team next year.”
—–Contact Amy Brittain at [email protected]