After getting hit with injuries in recent weeks, LSU sophomore forward Jordan Mickey said he’s good to go.
He just hopes that’ll be the case when the No. 9-seeded Tigers tip off in the NCAA Tournament today.
“My body was a little tired, but I feel a lot better now,” Mickey said. “The rest that we did get benefited me. I’m just excited to get out there and start this new journey.”
LSU (22-10) will have had six days off when it goes against No. 8 seed North Carolina State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at 8:20 p.m. tonight at Consol Energy Center.
But for Mickey, who sat out the Tigers’ win against No. 21 Arkansas on March 7, it’ll be just his second game in 15 days.
The extra rest couldn’t have come at a better time for Mickey. The Tigers’ two-time All-SEC selection has battled injuries and fatigue in recent weeks while seeing a noticeable dip in his normally stellar numbers.
In the last six games he’s played, Mickey has averaged 9.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.5 blocks. He hasn’t tallied more than 14 points or eight boards during that span, and the nation’s second-leading shot blocker has recorded only two rejections in his last two games.
Mickey’s uninspiring play culminated in perhaps the worst performance of his collegiate career during the Southeastern Conference Tournament last weekend.
Against Auburn on March 13, Mickey failed to make a field goal for the first time in his 64 games at LSU, going 0-for-4 from the floor and making one free throw for a career-worst one point. He finished with eight rebounds, one block and four turnovers before fouling out for the first time in his two-year career.
Despite playing a season-low 16 minutes against Auburn, Mickey said his body felt deflated.
“After the SEC Tournament was over and you come back home the next day, you realize how tired your body actually is,” Mickey said. “You wake up the next morning pretty banged up and sore and stiff.”
Mickey has been banged up plenty this season, particularly toward the end.
After injuring his ankle against Mississippi State on Jan. 31, Mickey suffered a shoulder injury against Tennessee on March 4, forcing him to sit out the regular season finale against the Razorbacks.
In addition to the injury bug, Mickey has contended with countless double and triple-teams opponents send his way, which has limited his effectiveness on both ends of the floor.
But after nearly a week of rest, LSU sophomore guard Tim Quarterman said he has no doubt Mickey will be ready to go when the Tigers begin their quest in the NCAA Tournament.
“Players go through stuff,” Quarterman said. “He’s been a part of our team all year, and he’s been a big reason why we’ve had a lot of success. He went down for a couple of games, so I know he’s anxious to get back out there and play.”
Against Auburn, Mickey endured the refs’ whistles and a second-half scuffle with junior forward Jordon Granger, who punched the back of Mickey’s head before he received a Flagrant 2 foul and was ejected from the game.
But seeing Mickey stand up and get engaged with the physical play was something his teammates rarely witness.
“I was surprised he was even up in the guy’s face,” said LSU junior guard Keith Hornsby. “I’ve never seen Jordan that fired up. He’s such a laid-back guy, but I kind of liked it.”
Mickey was assessed a technical foul for his role in the altercation and later fouled out with 5:12 to go in regulation of the Tigers’ three-point, overtime loss.
But Mickey, a First Team All-SEC and SEC All-Defensive selection this season, said he has to play without fear of what the refs might call, adding that they can’t control everything on the court.
“The refs can’t control how hard you play,” Mickey said. “If you play with intensity, the refs can’t control all that. So you just have to go out and play hard.”
You can reach David Gray on Twitter @dgray_TDR.