Southeastern Conference play has been anything but kind to the LSU men’s basketball team.
The Tigers (13-4, 2-2 SEC) have struggled to make late free throws and close out opponents throughout their opening four SEC games. All four games were decided by seven points or less, with both losses determined in the waning seconds or overtime.
The team’s inability to close out its opponents this season is worrisome, and coach Johnny Jones said the youth on the team can be to blame.
“It has a lot to do with the youthfulness of our team and the lack of understanding,” Jones said. “If you get up 10 or 11, instead of grinding it and making the next play, we feel like we have to make a home run play on that next possession and try to put people away. You just can’t play that way. It’s possession by possession.”
LSU came into the season with three new starters and a young bench. The Tigers were expected to be hampered by their lack of veterans, and it’s beginning to show down the stretch.
The Tigers lost veterans like forward Johnny O’Bryant III, while both sophomore forwards Jordan Mickey and Jarell Martin have run into foul trouble, causing LSU to rely on its newcomers to close out games.
One of the Tigers’ biggest problems is making free throws. In both of LSU’s SEC wins against Georgia and Ole Miss, missed free throws down the stretch kept its opponents in reach of games that should have been put away.
Against Georgia, LSU managed to squander an eight point lead with less than five minutes remaining in the game, allowing the Bulldogs to cut it to a one point game with 1 minute 38
seconds remaining.
Freshman guard Jalyn Patterson was sent to the line with 36 seconds remaining with an opportunity to give the Tigers a three-point lead. Patterson made only one of two, which eventually led to Georgia tying the game and forcing the Tigers out of a double overtime victory.
“Some guys may feel a little added pressure coming down the stretch, but you just got to find ways to block that out,” Martin said. “Find ways to not put pressure on yourself, be confident in yourself and try to knock it down.”
The same was seen in the Tigers’ 75-71 win against SEC West foe Ole Miss. Junior guard Josh Gray went 2-of-4 from the line in the game’s last 40 seconds, allowing the Rebels to cut the lead to two before junior guard Keith Hornsby closed the game with two free throws.
Mickey said needing new guys to step up isn’t an issue, it’s a matter of confidence when stepping up to the line down the stretch.
“A lot of guys on this team have played under big lights since they were in high school, so a lot of guys on this team know what it’s like,” Mickey said. “It’s just a matter of knowing you’ve been in this situation before and you’ve got to step up and do what you know you’re capable of
doing.”
The Tigers rank sixth in the SEC in free throw percentage at 71.5 percent from the charity stripe, but with their recent inability to close out games, free throws become much more
important down the stretch.
“I just try to take everyone the same and just try to knock them down,” said sophomore guard Tim Quarterman. “At the end of the game I really focus on them just because that could make or break you, one or two free throws could make or break you, so just staying in the same routine and shooting it the same every time.”
You can reach Jack Chascin on Twitter @Chascin_TDR.