After averaging 24.3 points per game through their first three contests, Darius Days was held scoreless through the first 11 minutes of LSU’s game against McNeese State, starting the game 0-4. By the time he scored his second basket, the team had amassed a 20-point lead and absorbed any momentum McNeese thought they had.
“We have a lot of weapons,” Days said. “Tonight just wasn’t my night. Tari [Eason] picked up my slack, Eric [Gaines] picked up my slack, Fudge had a couple good dunks and a couple of the other guys did some good things. We can win in different ways.”
This is not important because Days had a bad game, because he did not; it is important because it shows that this team can operate effectively if their star contributor is contributing less than usual. A team that relies too heavily on one player- (like last season’s team or Trae Young’s Oklahoma)- is bound to struggle as the season goes on, as defenses can easily adjust to their gameplan by simply focusing more of their attention on the star.
Nine players scored more than five points.Five players had multiple steals, and the assist and rebounding categories each had two key contributors. On top of all of that, the defense held McNeese to just 16 points at the half (with a six-minute stretch in which they did not score,) and caused a total of 27 turnovers- (a turnover every minute-and-a-half.)
Head Coach Will Wade credited the full-court press for a lot the success in the turnover department, briefly mentioning players like Gaines, Murray and Pinson as the perfect players for the press they are running and key contributors to that massive number of turnovers.
“If you have two guards [in front of the press], you have to have two pit bulls up there that can guard. You can’t have poodles,” Wade said. “You have to have guys out there that can sit out and guard, and Pinson, Tari and Gaines are all like that.”
Though the game was mostly a team effort, Tari Eason clearly earned the game ball, contributing 19 points and grabbing 14 rebounds on his way to a career day. Despite playing just four games with the team, he’s already making a huge impact in rebounding, defense and hustle.
“That’s always been something that I’ve prided myself on,” Eason said when asked about his hustle. “[I] go out there and do the little things, get a rebound, block a shot.”
“As y’all have seen over the past few games, our defense leads to offense. So, I think that’s really what I’m trying to focus on, making an impact defensively because it can turn into positive things on the other end of the court.”
Eason has posted three double-doubles in just four games to start the season and leads the team in rebounds with an average of 9.25 per game.
“I’m just trying to go out there and play hard every day,” Eason said when asked about his stats. “Obviously, my rebounding ability and what I can do on the floor just comes with it. I’m just trying to do what I can do to help the team win.”
He certainly helped them do just that tonight, as LSU ultimately defeated McNeese 85-46 on their way to a 4-0 start on the year. Their next game will be another mild challenge, as they’ll face off against Belmont on Monday, another perennial tournament team.
Can they make it five in a row?
“We have a lot of weapons,” Days said. “Tonight just wasn’t my night. Tari [Eason] picked up my slack, Eric [Gaines] picked up my slack, Fudge had a couple good dunks and a couple of the other guys did some good things. We can win in different ways.”
This is not important because Days had a bad game, because he did not; it is important because it shows that this team can operate effectively if their star contributor is contributing less than usual. A team that relies too heavily on one player- (like last season’s team or Trae Young’s Oklahoma)- is bound to struggle as the season goes on, as defenses can easily adjust to their gameplan by simply focusing more of their attention on the star.
Nine players scored more than five points.Five players had multiple steals, and the assist and rebounding categories each had two key contributors. On top of all of that, the defense held McNeese to just 16 points at the half (with a six-minute stretch in which they did not score,) and caused a total of 27 turnovers- (a turnover every minute-and-a-half.)
Head Coach Will Wade credited the full-court press for a lot the success in the turnover department, briefly mentioning players like Gaines, Murray and Pinson as the perfect players for the press they are running and key contributors to that massive number of turnovers.
“If you have two guards [in front of the press], you have to have two pit bulls up there that can guard. You can’t have poodles,” Wade said. “You have to have guys out there that can sit out and guard, and Pinson, Tari and Gaines are all like that.”
Though the game was mostly a team effort, Tari Eason clearly earned the game ball, contributing 19 points and grabbing 14 rebounds on his way to a career day. Despite playing just four games with the team, he’s already making a huge impact in rebounding, defense and hustle.
“That’s always been something that I’ve prided myself on,” Eason said when asked about his hustle. “[I] go out there and do the little things, get a rebound, block a shot.”
“As y’all have seen over the past few games, our defense leads to offense. So, I think that’s really what I’m trying to focus on, making an impact defensively because it can turn into positive things on the other end of the court.”
Eason has posted three double-doubles in just four games to start the season and leads the team in rebounds with an average of 9.25 per game.
“I’m just trying to go out there and play hard every day,” Eason said when asked about his stats. “Obviously, my rebounding ability and what I can do on the floor just comes with it. I’m just trying to do what I can do to help the team win.”
He certainly helped them do just that tonight, as LSU ultimately defeated McNeese 85-46 on their way to a 4-0 start on the year. Their next game will be another mild challenge, as they’ll face off against Belmont on Monday, another perennial tournament team.
Can they make it five in a row?
