Friday night’s heavyweight fight will be can’t-miss TV: the No. 2 LSU Tigers welcome the No. 1 team in the nation, the Oklahoma Sooners, into their building.
With everything going into this matchup, who has the edge, and how could the result of this event affect LSU?
Our gymnastics writers gathered to discuss that and everything else happening with the Tigers.
Do you feel LSU can beat Oklahoma head-to-head after the Tigers’ loss to the Sooners in
the Collegiate Quad earlier this season?
Ethan Stenger: Easily, but they couldn’t do it last year. Oklahoma was eliminated from last season’s semifinals after a season-low score on vault sent the Sooners home early, while LSU went on to win the big one.
While it may not take those same circumstances for the Tigers to win on Friday night, it will definitely be an uphill climb.
Martin Sullivan: They certainly can. The past two national champs faced off just over a month ago in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, winning by .300. Gymnastics is a sport where you really are just competing against yourself.
In their loss to Arkansas in late January, LSU had its only sub-197 score of the season. They responded with a 198 the following week against Missouri.
LSU scored 197.650 in their first meeting, and Oklahoma outdid them with 197.950. Though they have not recorded 198 this season, the Sooners have more consistently flirted with that threshold than the Tigers.
In fact, Oklahoma has yet to score under 197.500. This means a win for LSU requires grazing perfection consistently. For a team of reigning champions with a number of valuable additions, that’s well within reach.
Ainsley Flood: Yes, but it’ll have to pull off a championship-worthy performance. Oklahoma isn’t a team that will let you get away with messiness, and in a 1-2 showdown, getting as close to perfection as possible is a must. If LSU puts up multiple scores under 9.800, this meet could fall right into the Sooners’ lap.
Oklahoma will have a big hill to climb, though. The last time they beat LSU in Baton Rouge was over two years ago, and the Tigers haven’t lost a home meet since. With adjusted lineups and gymnasts back from injuries, this team is better than we saw in the Collegiate Quad.
So, as long as LSU keeps it clean, I don’t see why this isn’t theirs to win.
Gabby Gray: The chances of LSU bringing home a win against Oklahoma this Friday are likely but altogether slim if the Tigers don’t push themselves to perfection. This has less to do with the fact that the Sooners are ranked No. 1 in the country but more with how LSU prepares to take the most meaningful stage in college gymnastics this season.
Haleigh Bryant commented on how the team will continue with their regular training without even acknowledging the pressure Oklahoma is bringing to the PMAC this week. She’s using that mentality and encouraging freshmen like all-around Kailin Chio to perform like they usually do because they should normally be at their best anyway.
While that kind of mentality is both empowering and encouraging, could the Tigers stand to push themselves as a team? Whether they pack in an extra punch will make all the difference at this week’s meet.
What events will make or break this meet on both sides?
Ethan Stenger: The balance beam will cause trouble even for the best gymnasts; it’s arguably the most difficult event in the sport, but I’ll be watching closely for LSU’s opening rotation on vault. The Tigers tied the team’s season-high vault score at home against Missouri a couple of weeks ago. Not to mention, Oklahoma’s historic season ended on an atypical vault rotation last year.
LSU will be looking to get the rowdy sea of purple and gold involved early.
Martin Sullivan: For LSU, it has to be on beam. Balance beam was their worst event in both of the Tigers’ losses this year. It was also the main concern last year. Oklahoma has a team that is both consistent and without obvious weaknesses. LSU cannot afford to fall too far behind in any event, which is the biggest worry.
The Sooners are excellent on bars, they scored an impressive 49.700 in competition with LSU earlier this season. They are also strong on the floor and likely have less concern on the beam. Because of this, Oklahoma’s make-or-break event will be vault. That’s where the Tigers can separate themselves and how they dominate every week. Oklahoma will keep it tight.
Ainsley Flood: How they start and how they finish will matter most. LSU’s vault has been unstoppable this season, especially with the return of Bryant and KJ Johnson. One of the Sooners’ most decisive events is bars, so keeping up with the likes of Audrey Davis and Jordan Bowers early on will be crucial.
The score will likely be close to the end, so LSU’s heavy hitters on the floor must deliver.
Gabby Gray: I feel like the make-or-break event for the Tigers is gonna come down to the floor. With a strong start on vault, they can keep their momentum going and get themselves in the right headspace for the rest of the meet. However, if things on the vault go wrong and their confidence is rattled, they’ll count on scores from the floor to bring things home for LSU.
On Oklahoma’s side of the meet, I think how they start on bars will make all the difference for the Sooners because when traveling for a faceoff as large as this one, how you start will say a lot about how you’ll finish, primarily because of how lively an environment like the PMAC is.
If Oklahoma is rattled by the bayou from the moment they step up to the bars, a rowdy crowd of Tiger fans is likely to do their best to shake the Sooners up throughout the rest of the meet, especially on events closer to the student section like the balance beam and vault.
Sure, Oklahoma has competed in an away meet and won and faced off with other teams in the American Gold Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Classic. Still, they haven’t been to the PMAC since LSU gymnastics’ fanbase has grown tremendously after being named national champions last year.
Who’s the x-factor in this matchup?
Ethan Stenger: If LSU wants a chance to win, it better hope Oklahoma’s trio of Bowers, Davis and Faith Torrez don’t show up. With the inconsistent performances of the Tigers’ own star-studded trio, Bryant, Aleah Finnegan and Kailin Chio. LSU can only hope that the Sooners’ top two can do the same.
Martin Sullivan: This is a heavyweight bout, which means the winning team will win because of their ceiling, not their floor. That means that the strengths of LSU’s lineup need to show up big time. These include Bryant, Finnegan and Chio.
Finnegan can be fantastic, but her scores have had less stability lately. How she performs has the potential to push LSU into a comfortable position with dominance on vault. But she also plays a large role in not losing ground on beam.
Ainsley Flood: While every individual score has the chance to be pivotal in this matchup, I also think the real difference-makers will be the anchors. As I said, small mistakes will weigh heavy on both teams, so anchors need to be at the top of their game on Friday night.
For LSU, it looks like Konnor McClain is on bars, Finnegan is on the beam, and Bryant is on the vault and floor. If Bryant returns to bars, all eyes will be on the all-around champion.
Gabby Gray: I don’t necessarily think there is any one x-factor that fans can expect to carry the meet because each individual gymnast is best skilled in each of the different events. Chio has a season-high of 9.975 on vault, nearing an almost perfect score.
For beam, that’s Bryant with a 9.950. So you can’t count on one person to do it all, given how much elite talent LSU has on its team.
But, in the case that this meet doesn’t go as planned for the Tigers, fans can turn their attention to Finnegan as she takes to the floor. This season, she’s had a near-perfect 9.9750 and has proved time and time again she’s capable of reaching a perfect ten.
If Finnegan accomplishes that, fans have much to look forward to once this meet is over.
What would a win do for LSU? What does a loss look like?
Ethan Stenger: LSU can jumpstart a gymnastics dynasty on Friday. If the Tigers win, they’ll be well on their way to finishing the back half of the season strong and repeating as national champions. After winning two in a row, it’s hard to think where else the nation’s top gymnasts would rather be than in Baton Rouge and with this program. This could set up LSU for years to come.
A loss would be disheartening with everything that comes with hosting this meet on your campus and in your building, but the Tigers lost in the national championship two years ago. LSU has experienced way worse as a team and bounced back before, so losing on Friday night wouldn’t be the end of the world.
Martin Sullivan: A win like this says a lot for LSU in a lot of different ways. It would show the perseverance of a team that has and continues to deal with injuries. It’s a revenge outing for Oklahoma’s win in January. A victory would also speak to the home-field advantage brought by the fans in the PMAC.
Overall, it makes LSU a threat and poses severe promises of a repeat.
A loss is more nuanced. It depends on how it happens, their score, what event is worst and who is to blame. Frankly, LSU performed well when they lost to Oklahoma earlier this season. A loss wouldn’t be devastating, but it certainly misses an opportunity to make a statement.
Ainsley Flood: If LSU wins on Friday, Tiger fans can relax a little. Oklahoma is the No. 1 obstacle in the way of the championship, so if LSU conquers them one-on-one Friday, it likens their chances of beating them in nationals. On the other hand, another loss to Oklahoma would mean more doubt about whether the Tigers could even win the SEC this year.
Gabby Gray: LSU’s theme this season has been to protect their crown, especially after last year’s national championship. After competing in Oklahoma’s shadow in the No. 2 spot throughout the majority of the season, fans are ready for another powerful Tiger win.
That’s precisely what that will mean if LSU beats the Sooners this week: the Tigers will have a new sense of power in claiming the No. 1 spot and can set themselves on track for the nationals this season.
But what about a loss? Will this shake the faith of gymnastics fans? Probably not, because one lousy meet doesn’t mean LSU has a bad team.
But what about the gymnasts? How will a loss affect their composure for the rest of the season? Sure, it might shake them up a bit, but if they want to keep their heads up to finish the season strong, all they’ll be able to do from a loss is learn from their mistakes and push themselves to come back stronger in their next competition, which they’ve continuously proven capable of.
