LSU men’s basketball put each aspect of the game together to beat DePaul and win the Emerald Coast Classic in its seventh consecutive victory.
The Tigers’ offense has been the hottest part of the 2025-26 team, and it played a part in the 96-63 victory over the Blue Deomons. But it wasn’t just an offensive effort; it was the defense that took LSU past its previous downfalls throughout the beginning of the season.
Before this game, the Tigers’ stellar offense helped power past opponents, but after a team Thanksgiving on the road, the Tigers gelled together to look astoundingly better on the defensive front.
After the Tigers’ matchup with Omaha, Dedan Thomas Jr. said that the biggest thing LSU needed to improve on was defense to stay undefeated.
On Saturday night, it took a step in the right direction. Against DePaul, 29 of LSU’s 37 rebounds were defensive rebounds.
Max MacKinnon and Thomas led the scoring for the Tigers big time. In the first half alone, Thomas scored 10 points, while MacKinnon scored 13 points throughout the entire matchup.
Mike Nwoko picked up the slack in the second half, scoring 10 points of his own.
Thomas was named the Most Outstanding Player in the Emerald Coast Classic due to his performance during the weekend.
Together, MacKinnon, Nwoko and Thomas showcased the offensive prowess of this LSU team. Their veteran status gels the offense together for big games like the tournament championship, and Thomas said it’s the key to how this team plays so well.
“These dudes made it so easy on me,” Thomas said after the game versus Tarleton State. “It’s like a breath of fresh air playing with them. Everyone knows how to make plays. Everyone’s about winning. Everyone can do a lot of different things. So they make it easy on me, like they hit open shots. They make plays on their own. They get me open.”
The Tigers shot efficiently from the free-throw line as well, with another season high.
On Saturday night versus DePaul, the purple and gold put up 21 free throws in 26 attempts. After beating FIU, Thomas said the team’s head coach, Matt McMahon, expects the team to be aggressive and get to the free-throw line.
“[McMahon] expects us to get to the line that much,” Thomas said after the FIU game. “That’s actually what’s on the board pre-game. He wants us to make more free throws than the other teams attempted. We just keep pushing the ball in transition and getting to the basket, getting fouls. Just staying aggressive.”
For the first time this season, LSU looked to be on the up. There was no true shaky spot in this game against the Blue Demons.
Obviously, it’s still early in the season, and time will tell how LSU holds up with the stiff SEC competition, but as of now, it appears more dominant than at any other moment this season.
The Tigers will play for its eighth straight victory on Wednesday, Dec. 3, at Boston College at 6:15 p.m. CT.
