It is a fair assumption that most high school basketball players would be honored if given the opportunity to play for one of the greatest coaches in college hoops history. Sophomore transfer guard Terry Martin had that feeling when he enrolled at Texas Tech University to play for legendary coach Bob Knight after a stellar career at Richwood High School in Monroe. Martin averaged 24 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists at Richwood and led his team to the Class 3A state championship in his senior season. But after playing 14 games for the Red Raiders and for the man who became the all-time winningest coach in Division I-A history, Martin decided it was time for a change of scenery. “I really wanted to come closer to home,” he said. “I wanted to play for a real good [Division I-A] team that had a chance to win.” Martin transferred to LSU following the fall 2005 semester to play for a Tigers team that was on the rise in the Southeastern Conference. The Monroe native said the atmosphere in Lubbock, Texas did not compare to the atmosphere provided in Baton Rouge. “They really didn’t support us a lot like how [fans] do here,” he said. “They really just worried about cows … and milk and stuff like that. We would have games where like 20 people would be in the stands. I like it here a lot better.” Martin exploded onto the LSU basketball scene after sitting the year the NCAA requires for transfer athletes. He scored double-figure points in his first four games as a Tiger. But in the seven games the Tigers have played in 2007, Martin and the rest of the team have struggled with inconsistent offense. He put up a career-high 23 points against the University of Auburn on Jan. 13 but has also gone scoreless in two contests and scored two points in the Tigers’ 71-61 loss to the University of Alabama on Jan. 9. Martin said the team’s recent inability to score is unexplainable. “It’s like when me and Glen [Davis] play good, Tasmin [Mitchell] doesn’t play good,” Martin said. “When Tasmin and Glen play good, I don’t play good. We all need to get on the same page.” LSU coach John Brady said that inconsistency is not reflective of his team’s will to win. “I liked the effort of our team and how hard it played [against the University of Georgia]. I just haven’t been able to get us in a situation where we can develop some consistency and some other scoring options. It’s been a challenge.” When the Tigers take the court tonight against the No. 19 University of Alabama, they will be trying to snap out of their first losing streak since losing four straight games in February 2004. The Crimson Tide also enter the game in a skid, having dropped three of their past four games. Alabama coach Mark Gottfried said despite the teams being in their respective slumps, fans can expect a competitive contest. “Seems like every time we play LSU it’s usually a great basketball game,” Gottfried said. “Obviously we’re in need of a win, so our guys are pretty hungry.” Brady said following Tuesday’s practice that fans can expect more minutes from sophomore center Chris Johnson, but one lineup change will not have a dramatic effect on the team’s performance “We’re going to give him an opportunity,” Brady said “[But] let’s not write this thing up like we’re putting in Godzilla and things are just going to change.” With five teams in the SEC Western Division with four losses, sophomore guard Garrett Temple said the team must remember that even with the recent setbacks, the Tigers are still in the hunt for a division title. “If everybody was 3-3, 4-2, 5-1, it would be a little different,” Temple said. “But teams are just like us, not necessarily struggling offensively but have the same record.”
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