The No. 2 LSU gymnastics team will face one of its toughest stretches of the season.
In the first of two meets this weekend, LSU (6-0, 5-0 Southeastern Conference) takes on No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 10 Georgia and No. 15 Missouri in the annual Mardi Gras Invitational in St. Charles, Missouri.
Despite the Super Six feel to the competition, LSU is focusing on treating this meet just like it would any other one.
“In training, we’re treating it as though we’re going into a regular quad meet situation,” LSU coach D-D Breaux said. “The meet itself, yeah, we’re excited about Oklahoma and Georgia and Missouri being on the floor at the same time, but we’re not going to put any more emphasis on it. We’re trying to stay in the same training cycle and be rested.”
The biggest difference in this meet is the use of podium style equipment.
Podium equipment is usually not seen or used until the postseason.
While the equipment on the podium is much nicer, Junior all-arounder Myia Hambrick said it is not something you can prepare for, but something that you have to experience.
“That’ll be good practice for nationals,” sophomore all-arounder Sarah Finnegan said. “The equipment is a little different, a little bouncier. You just have to make small adjustments. I don’t think we’re going to approach it in any different manner, just get in and get our job done.”
This week, the Tigers are ranked No. 2 in the nation on floor and beam, No. 3 on vault and No. 4 on bars.
The Tigers are coming off a 197.700-196.325 win against No. 23 Arkansas, which was the 14th consecutive 197 score, tying a school record.
“It’s cool, but it’s something that you can’t think about and you don’t think about too much,” Hambrick said. “We want to get a 198, and we want to hopefully get it more than once before nationals come around.”
LSU has already faced both Missouri and Georgia, but this is the first head-to-head against top-ranked Oklahoma.
“The only difference is that they’re going to be in the same arena,” Hambrick said. “Every week, we think about beating them and being the best in the country. Not just them, but beating everyone and wanting to be No. 1 each week.”
The Sooners edged LSU for the NCAA championship in last season’s Super Six. Last year, the Tigers beat Georgia in a record-setting opening score of 197.825 and beat Missouri with a score of 197.425.
Hambrick said Breaux has made the team understand that this meet is no different from any other. The Tigers are focused on getting better and moving forward each week.
“We want the kids to be really sharp,” Breaux said. “They had a great practice Sunday evening. They came in and did very little, but their spirits are high and you can tell they’re anxious to go out and compete against somebody that’s not a conference foe, but a team that’s ranked ahead of us.”