LSU’s men’s basketball team climbed to No. 23 in the Associated Press Top 25 on Monday, the Tigers’ first appearance in the poll since Jan. 22, 2007.But don’t tell LSU coach Trent Johnson.”I actually got a memo from the NCAA,” Johnson said sarcastically. “They said we don’t have to play any more games — the season’s over. Arkansas said we don’t even have to show up [Wednesday night].”It’s hard to believe it’s been only 42 days since the Tigers’ 30-point loss to Utah.Less than a month away from Selection Sunday, when the 65-team field for the NCAA tournament is selected, LSU’s Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) has jumped from No. 107 to No. 39 since the week after the Utah loss. Although it isn’t apparent from his demeanor, Johnson has LSU on the cusp of the division title in his first season at the helm. At 9-1 in conference play, LSU is three victories away from winning the SEC West. Twenty teams have won or split the western division title in that time span. Only two of those have missed the NCAA tournament.Those two teams were 2007’s split champions — Ole Miss and Mississippi State — who shared the title with 8-8 conference records. With six games left to play, LSU has already won more games than those teams had at the end of their regular  season.”We have a target on our backs,” said senior center Chris Johnson. “We’re the hunted, and we have to come out and compete 40 minutes.”The Tigers’ win last Wednesday against Mississippi State also made them the 18th LSU team to earn 20 wins in a season. Only twice has a 20-win LSU team failed to qualify for the NCAA tournament. The 1969-1970 Tigers finished 22-10 with an appearance in the National Invitation Tournament semifinals, and the 1916 team went 20-2 in the era predating the college basketball postseason.This group of Tigers is the seventh LSU team to break 20 wins since the SEC realignment in 1992. In that time span, LSU has never failed to send a 20-win team to the NCAA tournament.”It’s so easy to get caught up in what you’ve done,” said junior guard Alex Farrer. “You’ve got to keep things in perspective and understand that the next game is important.”  Joe Lunardi, an ESPN college basketball analyst, released his latest “Bracketology” tournament projection Monday, with LSU as a No. 7 seed in the East bracket of the 2009 tournament.Lunardi correctly picked the entire field for the 2008 tournament.But once again, Trent Johnson’s unimpressed.One of his favorite anecdotes this season is about his son, Terry, who calls Johnson frequently to update him on the Tigers’ standing in the polls and tournament projections.Once Johnson hears about brackets or rankings, his answer is always the same.”Bye, Terry.”