The LSU men’s basketball team will face the team tomorrow that began the Tigers’ current six-game losing streak.
The Tigers (13-10, 2-7) take on the University of Arkansas Razorbacks (15-8, 4-5) Saturday at 2 p.m. in the PMAC. LSU lost the last match-up against the Hogs 72-52 on Jan. 20 in Fayetteville, Ark. LSU shot only 35 percent from the field while junior forward Glen Davis led the Tigers in scoring with 16 points and 6-of-16 shooting from the field.
Before the Jan. 20 tip-off against Arkansas, the Tigers led the Southeastern Conference Western Division with a 2-1 record and were ranked No. 16 in the nation.
But after the Arkansas loss LSU began a downward spiral with two home and three away losses. Three of the games were decided by margins less than three points. LSU is last in the SEC West and has been unranked since losing to the University of Georgia on Jan. 28.
“If there’s ever a time for a team to need a win, it’s ours,” Brady said Thursday in an SEC teleconference.
The Tigers are coming off a 70-67 road loss Tuesday to the University of Tennessee.
“This team hasn’t functioned as well as some of my teams in the past,” Brady said. “The inconsistency of some players is something that we’re continuing to work on, and hopefully we’ll get better at it. If not, it’s not much fun because of the fans’ expectations and the media’s involvement.”
Junior guard Dameon Mason, who started against Tennessee, did not practice Thursday. Senior Associate Sports Information Director Kent Lowe said migraines prevented Mason from practicing. Lowe said Mason’s game status would not be determined until after Friday’s practice.
The Tigers have won the past five Baton Rouge games against Arkansas, and Arkansas coach Stan Heath said his team will be prepared for a tough road game. The last time the Razorbacks won in Baton Rouge was in 2001.
“[It’s a] big game for us,” Heath said in Thursday’s SEC teleconference. “It’s always tough to go into Baton Rouge and get a win. They’re in search of a win like we are so it’s certainly gonna be a good ball game.”
Sophomore guard Ben Voogd said the six-game losing streak is especially difficult after the success experienced during the Tigers’ 2005-2006 Final Four run.
“You’ve just got to come out and start the game off well … play hard in the beginning, get a good lead on these guys and finish,” he said. “We’ve been able to do one of the two so far this season but not both of them the whole game. We have not been able to play a complete game yet.”
Voogd said there is no additional pressure in playing the team that started LSU’s losing streak.
“We’ve gotta come in Saturday and just go all out,” he said. “Defense, offense, everything and get us a win and just break this streak … whatever we need to do.”
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