Four years ago, LSU guards Xavier Whipple and Antonio Hudson arrived in Baton Rouge — both from rural communities with minimal experience in urban areas.
Whipple came from Georgia with a car. Hudson had no personal form of transportation. The two met at East Campus Apartments. They cruised the metro area that week and took turns at the wheel.
“As soon as I got here, we were like brothers,” Whipple said. “He was driving my car. Ever since then we’ve been tight.”
Hudson said Whipple’s dedication to the team, even while playing a backup role to point guard Tack Minor, shows great character.
“Coming in, we both had high hopes and high dreams,” Hudson said. “His didn’t go as planned. He stuck it out. He showed that he was a warrior.”
That journey ends Saturday at 3 p.m. when LSU hosts the Vanderbilt Commodores in its home finale at the PMAC. The Southeastern Conference tilt will be televised by Jefferson Pilot Sports on WAFB.
Tigers guard Josh Maravich and forward Paul Wolfert will also be recognized on senior day.
“I’m always a little touched by guys who have given a lot to the program regardless of their role,” Brady said. “You pull for our team to win the game first and really for those guys who are going to play well. Hopefully, we’ve been somewhat a part of the success that they’re going to have in the future.”
The 2004-05 senior class has a chance to make history. A win Saturday over Vanderbilt accomplishes the following for LSU:
1) Claiming at least a tie of its first SEC Western Division title since the 1999-2000 season.
2) Tying its best conference record since the 1999-00 season at 12-4.
3) Going undefeated at home in conference play for the first time since the 1980-81 season.
“I came here as a little boy,” Hudson said. “I was a small fish in a little pond when I first got here. All of the sudden it’s just over now. But I do have the chance to play for the [SEC West] championship and leave out on top.”
If both LSU and Alabama win Saturday, the teams will share the SEC Western Division title. But Alabama will win the tiebreaker and the No. 1 seed at the SEC Tournament with a better divisional record.
An Alabama loss equals a No. 1 seed for LSU in the SEC Tournament, win or lose. The Crimson Tide face Mississippi State in a 1 p.m. CBS televised tip-off from Starkville.
If Alabama loses and LSU wins, the Tigers win the SEC West outright by one game.
If Alabama and LSU both lose, the teams will share the crown. But the Tigers will receive the No. 1 seed via the third conference tie-breaker.
The tie-breaker matches the tied teams’ records against the division’s No. 1 team. Because LSU and Alabama would be tied for first, the tie-breaker goes down to the squads’ records against No. 3 Mississippi State. LSU swept its season series against the Bulldogs, while Alabama would split the season series with a loss Saturday.
LSU (18-8, 11-4 SEC) reeled off eight straight home wins after their loss to West Virginia, 84-69, on Nov. 27. LSU boasts a 13-1 home record this season.
The 1980-81 team went 15-0 overall and 9-0 in conference play at home. That squad also made a Final Four appearance.
Hudson poured in nine points during LSU’s 58-53 win Wednesday at Ole Miss.
Junior guard Darrel Mitchell led the Tigers in the effort with 16 points. He buried 4 of 5 3-pointers. Sophomore forward Brandon Bass followed with 13 points and 10 rebounds and recorded his 16th career double-double.
Vanderbilt (18-11, 8-7 SEC) also earned a victory over South Carolina 75-65 Wednesday. Junior guard Mario Moore led the Commodores with 22 points. He also leads Vandy with 12.3 points per game, followed by 12 points from guard Corey Smith.
“Vandy comes in here at 8-7 with a game-building resume win if they can beat us to go 9-7 in the SEC and enhance their chances for an NCAA Tournament berth,” Brady said. “There’s a lot on the line for both teams.”