LSU remembers the 105-98 loss it suffered to Houston last season.
This year, LSU (4-2) hopes for a different result as it hosts Houston (5-0) in the PMAC tonight at 8 p.m.
“We’re excited to be back home, and we’re looking forward to a really great challenge and opportunity against a tough Houston Cougars basketball team,” coach Johnny Jones said. “They have several players from a team that we had a high scoring overtime affair with last year on the road. They will certainly bring a very talented and experienced team in here on tomorrow evening.”
LSU returns home after finishing 1-2 at the Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament in Nassau, Bahamas last week. The Tigers opened the tournament with a 82-47 loss to Wichita State, defeated Old Dominion 66-60 then fell to VCU 85-74 on the final day of the tournament.
“We’re hopeful that the trip we just came off of, playing three games against some stiff and tough competition, will benefit this team as the season continues to progress,” Jones said. “I think it’s helped as a measuring stick, and we look forward to building from it.”
“We got a lot of experience down there,” LSU forward Duop Reath said of the trip. “It was good to redeem ourselves the next day [against Old Dominion], and it felt good just to be able to play the next day. We learned from each team that we need to get better.”
Houston enters tonight’s game undefeated, led by junior guard Rob Gray Jr., who is averaging 18.8 points per game this season for Houston.
Gray Jr. came off of the bench last season for Houston against LSU and dropped 31 points on a 10-of-19 shooting performance from the field.
“He’s doing well again this year, so we’re going to have to find a way to contain him,” said sophomore guard Antonio Blakeney.
Junior forward Craig Victor and sophomore guard Jalyn Patterson were both absent for LSU last year against Houston — Victor for academic reasons, and Patterson due to a leg injury.
“We were down some of our weapons and went into a very tough battle,” Jones said. “A lot of things were against us, including being on the road, but I thought our guys continued to fight pretty hard, and we’ll have that type of challenge again tomorrow.”
Victor made his first appearance on the court for LSU this season in the Bahamas. The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 5.7 points and four rebounds for LSU in the three games.
“We’re really excited to have Craig back in uniform with the team,” Jones said. “He’ll have a chance to possibly be more productive for us tomorrow.”