PITTSBURGH — There are no easy games once a team makes the NCAA Tournament.
But that’s actually good news for ninth-seeded LSU (22-10), which has upped its level of play against the nation’s top squads all season.
The Tigers went 12-5 against teams ranked in the RPI’s top 100 this season and had a pair of high-profile road wins at West Virginia and Arkansas, clubs that earned No. 5 seeds for the NCAA Tournament.
But LSU has also suffered several baffling losses, most recently a 73-70 overtime defeat to Auburn in the Southeastern Conference Tournament on March 13.
It was the Tigers’ fifth loss to a team ranked worse than No. 100 in the RPI this season, which doesn’t include a 78-63 embarrassment at home to No. 99 Tennessee.
“We’ve won some big games and closed out games pretty well,” said LSU sophomore forward Jordan Mickey. “It’s attention to detail. We probably lacked that at times, but I felt we’ve done a pretty good job of growing up as the season’s gone on and gotten a lot better.”
Part of that has to do with youth. The Tigers have only one upperclassmen — junior guard Keith Hornsby — in their starting five, which features three sophomores and one freshman.
But the youthful team has displayed resiliency all season, a hallmark of teams under LSU coach Johnny Jones. The Tigers went 8-1 after a loss and lost consecutive games only once.
But now, it’s win and survive or lose and go home.
“We have no choice now — we better bounce back well,” Hornsby said. “This is where it matters most.”
Martin, Mickey going in different directions
Mickey and fellow sophomore forward Jarell Martin have been the main catalysts behind the Tigers’ return to the NCAA Tournament this season.
Martin and Mickey, who both earned First-Team All-SEC recognition this season, are the Tigers’ leading scorers at 16.9 and 15.5 points per game, respectively. Together, they garnered 29 double-doubles.
NC State coach Mark Gottfried said he hasn’t seen a duo like the one LSU features.
“I’m not sure that anybody in [the Atlantic Coast Conference] has two guys, a tandem, a pair like they have,” Gottfried said. “So they’re going to be a handful for our guys.”
But the Tigers’ two stars are trending in opposite directions.
Martin has erupted in the last six games, averaging 22 points and 11 rebounds with four double-doubles. He’s also scored at least 25 points in three games during that span.
Conversely, Mickey has struggled recently, totaling 55 points and 34 rebounds in his last six games. He’s reached double figures just three times during that time and hasn’t garnered more than eight rebounds in a single game.
But LSU junior guard Keith Hornsby said he believes both stars will be on the same page when the Tigers take on NC State tonight.
“These guys right here are great,” Hornsby said. “Having them down there is huge for us. Great presence offensively and defensively.”
Stopping the 3-ball
NC State guards Ralston Turner and Trevor Lacey made the most 3-pointers for a duo in the ACC this season with a combined 160 triples
The mission for LSU is simple — limit the looks Turner and Lacey get from deep.
But that shouldn’t be a problem for the Tigers, who have suffocated opponents that are in love with the 3-ball in recent weeks.
Since Jones added guards Tim Quarterman and Jalyn Patterson to the starting backcourt alongside Hornsby on Feb. 7, LSU has been nearly eliminated the 3-point threat, holding its last 10 opponents to 29.3 percent from deep (55-of-190).
Only once did a team shoot better than 40 percent during that span (Auburn on March 13).
But the Wolfpack thrive on 3-pointers, going 9-3 this season when its it makes at least seven and 11-10 when it doesn’t. NC State has averaged 7.2 treys in its last eight games, resulting in a 6-2 mark during that span.
But Hornsby said his squad is capable of stopping the Wolfpack and its star tandem from finding its rhythm from 3-point territory.
“From what we’ve seen on scout, we match up well with them,” Hornsby said. “We’ve watched a lot of tape on them. They’re good players. It’s tough to prepare for them, but we have to as best we can. We’ve done a good job on that so far.”
Hornsby coming alive
Hornsby, the Tigers’ leading 3-point shooter, has been nearly unguardable entering the NCAA Tournament.
The Virginia native is averaging 18.2 points in his last five games on 50.8 percent shooting from the field (31-for-61). During that span, he drained a blistering 48.4 percent of his 3-point attempts (15-of-31).
Hornsby’s late-season surge is even more impressive given the heavy load placed on his shoulders. Hornsby finished third in the Southeastern Conference in total minutes this season with a team-high 1,136.
Hornsby has logged 37.6 minutes per game in his last five, prompting heavy praise from Gottfried.
“One thing with Keith Hornsby, and we know him pretty well right now, he’s a tough guy,” Gottfried said. “Not going to back down from anybody.”
Hornsby finished third in the SEC with both 3-pointers made (70) and 3-point percentage (39.1), but his experience in the NCAA Tournament may be the biggest benefit to a young Tiger squad.
Hornsby played in the 2012 NCAA Tournament as a freshman for UNC Asheville, which lost to No. 1 seed Syracuse, 72-65, in the second round. Though Hornsby played only seven minutes in that game, Jones said the experience he gained in that chaotic environment is a bonus for Hornsby’s youthful teammates.
“Keith had the opportunity to play for NCAA tournament in Nashville, and we’re very fortunate he’s a part of our team,” Jones said. “As a junior, he’s been able to display that.”
You can reach David Gray on Twitter @dgray_TDR