The theme among the LSU basketball team since Saturday’s loss to Ole Miss has been getting back something it lost.
And that something is a win they thought they should have earned against the Rebels at home.
Senior Collis Temple III feels LSU must pick up an SEC road victory in Fayetteville, Ark.
“This game is a whole lot bigger due to the fact that we lost one at home so we have got to pick one up somewhere on the road,” Temple said. “This is one that we really need to focus on. We need to pick up a win.”
However, in order to do just that, the Tigers (12-3, 1-2 Southeastern Conference) will have to succeed in something they have not thrived on during the five year John Brady era — winning on the road. LSU is 12-38 on the road under Brady.
The Tigers travel to Fayetteville, Ark., tonight to face the Arkansas Razorbacks at 7:05 p.m. in the Bud Walton Arena.
Even though the Razorbacks (5-9, 0-3 SEC) are struggling under first-year coach Stan Heath, Brady and the LSU players know they have a tall order in front of them.
“Arkansas is needing a win and so are we after giving up a home win to Ole Miss,” Brady said. “We kind of got out-toughed against Ole Miss. Now we’ve got to go on the road, to a tough place to play, where the crowd support is there no matter what. Our first road trip was not too good against Georgia. I just hope our team knows what they need to do.”
LSU has been largely ineffective on defense in its first three SEC games, allowing 76.0 points per contest and giving up a gaudy 50.6 shooting percentage to its opponents.
However, Arkansas is only averaging 50.7 points per game and shooting a dismal 32 percent from the field.
“I don’t care who is in their [Arkansas] uniform, it is hard to beat them at their place,” said senior forward Ronald Dupree. “We are going to have to show a lot of character and a lot of guts to go out there and win on the road. We just need to regroup.”
Dupree leads the Tigers in scoring, averaging 15.4 points per game, and senior Torris Bright leads the SEC in assists, dishing out 5.7 dimes per game.
The Razorbacks are led by Heath, who replaced Nolan Richardson this year after the university released the extremely successful coach from his position last season.
They are on a five-game losing streak, including losses to Alabama, Auburn and Georgia.
“The Mack truck has hit us, and we are trying to regroup,” Heath said. “If you have looked at the teams we have faced since we got back from Christmas break, they have been very, very good. And a win would really boost our confidence. A win would really help our mental state.”
The Razor-backs are led by freshman guard Kendrick Davis, who is averaging 12.4 points per contest, and senior forward Dionisio Gomez, who pulls down 7.8 rebounds-per-game.
Arkansas’s complete frontcourt is composed of freshman, with Wenbos Mukubu joining Davis at the other guard position. The inexperience may be part of the reason the Razorbacks average 18.1 turnovers per game.
“I’m sure LSU will press us,” Heath said. “We have to handle the press and score off the press.”