LSU men’s basketball coach Will Wade, sophomore guard Javonte Smart and senior guard Skylar Mays represented the LSU contingent at SEC Basketball Media Day in Birmingham on Wednesday.
The Tigers are coming off a Southeastern Conference regular season title and their first Sweet 16 appearance since 2006, but with the return of Baton Rouge natives Smart and Mays, the sky may be the limit with one of college basketball’s top backcourts.
“Whatever the expectations are externally, internally our expectations are even higher,” said Wade on the SEC Network set. “We want to be an elite, elite basketball program.”
Both Wade and the Tigers realize there will be a target on their back as defending champions in the conference, but much like Ed Orgeron and the football team, the focus will be to block out the noise.
“It’s not anything different. We just have to go harder,” said Smart.
Although the focus of Wednesday’s media session was on LSU basketball’s upcoming season, it was hard not to at least mention Joe Burrow and LSU’s football team that’s currently undefeated and ranked No. 2 in the nation. Smart called Skylar Mays the ‘Joe Burrow’ of the basketball team for the leadership he brings to the floor.
Wade has been very complimentary of LSU’s new up-tempo offense, but he does have one worry about all the points being scored at Tiger Stadium.
“I’m just worried we’re not going to be able to score as many points as our football team,” said Wade with a smile.
LSU basketball opens the season against Bowling Green in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on Nov. 8.