LSU has no shortage of men’s basketball heroes.
While it may not produce them at the rate of the more storied programs, the bronze statues displayed in front of its training facility show that they can develop superstars. The three men on display, Bob Pettit, Shaquille O’Neil, and Pete Maravich, gave a combined decade of service to the program.
Only one of those men, Bob Pettit, would ever reach the Final Four. The other two didn’t make it past the second round.
In a tournament with a penchant for chaos and unpredictability, the Tigers frequently find themselves the friends and foes of the ever-changing direction of fate. In 1985, No. 4 seeded LSU was defeated 78-55 by No. 13 Navy. The next year, the No. 11 seed Tigers took out No. 1 seed Kentucky to proceed to the Final Four.
Yet LSU always falls short of claiming the prized crystal basketball. Despite their phenomenal talents, several solid coaches, and a fair bit of luck, the Tigers have never quite been able to seal the deal. Why?
The first hurdle LSU has always faced is getting into the tournament. The Tigers have been consistent postseason contenders since the ’80s, and have generally maintained that success.
However, they still had to face Kentucky, one of the most prestigious programs in college basketball, and Florida, which had transformed into its current form as an SEC powerhouse in the late ’90s.
LSU has also usually been unable to fully capitalize on their star players.
Maravich almost always put up over 40 points in an era without the 3-point line, but in an era without at-large berths, the Tigers’ lack of any other true stars meant they always failed to win the conference against a more well-rounded Kentucky.
Similarly, O’Neill put up mind-boggling numbers night after night and was a two-time SEC Player of the Year, but Dale Brown could never get him over the hump. It didn’t help that in their 1990 second-round loss to Georgia Tech star point guard Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, one of the Tigers’ highest scorers that year, had a rough night, putting up 13 points, half of his average.
Another factor is coaching, more specifically, Brown’s polarizing tenure.
As the architect of modern LSU basketball, heading the program for a quarter-century, Brown brought the Tigers to the Final Four twice in his tenure. He is unquestionably an exceptional coach, and his recruiting skills, passion for the game, and genuine love for his players were all major strengths that brought the program great success. He is deserving of the respect he commands amongst the LSU fanbase.
That being said, Brown was also a flawed coach. He relied heavily on intensity and energy, which successfully overwhelmed weaker programs but often failed against the well-disciplined basketball elites. He was often stubborn and inflexible in games and frequently out-coached in critical moments.
Of course, any discussion of Brown must also at least mention his constant war with the NCAA, and his violations of NCAA rules resulted in the program being forced into probation in 1998.
The head coaches since Brown have been generally solid, with John Brady leading the Tigers to its most recent Final Four appearance and the rest keeping the ship relatively steady. However, many of the same structural flaws remain, with many seasons ending with a middling record despite having solid rosters.
Is it possible for LSU to win a championship? Absolutely. However, it could still be a while before the Bayou Bengals hoist the coveted trophy. The organizational shakeup in the aftermath of the Will Wade violations fiasco leaves the team in an era of change.
However, the possibilities afforded to coaches in building a team through the transfer portal provide an immense opportunity for a purple and gold coach to build a powerhouse team, especially utilizing the immense brand power of LSU sports.
Matt McMahon has extensively used the portal, essentially creating a team from scratch. While that team ultimately ended up with a losing record, the transfer portal furthers LSU’s competitive recruiting ability.
If McMahon can put together a few stars, maintain a strong defense, and harness a bit of March Madness luck, the day the Tigers hoist the crystal ball will be on the horizon.
