The LSU men’s basketball team doesn’t have time to sulk after its eight-game winning streak ended in a disappointing overtime loss at Missouri on Thursday night.
LSU (11-3, 0-1 Southeastern Conference), who committed 19 turnovers and shot 13-of-23 from the free throw line against Missouri, must regroup as it faces Georgia at 8 p.m. Saturday in the PMAC. The Tigers like the idea of being able to shake off the recent loss back at home.
“It definitely is big,” said sophomore forward Jordan Mickey. “With a quick turnaround, we can’t dwell on it too long. We got a game Saturday here at home. You never want to lose at home. So, I think it’s big to have a quick turnaround, so we can get back to the next game.”
After rattling off six consecutive wins in their non-conference slate, the Bulldogs (9-4, 0-1 SEC) are coming off a 79-75 loss to Arkansas that opened their conference schedule. The win streak includes wins at Kansas State and against 19th-ranked Seton Hall.
LSU coach Johnny Jones sees the challenge of facing a talented Bulldog team, who rank in top-5 of the SEC in defensive rebounds, blocked shots and field goal percentage defense.
“[They have] size and strength,” Jones said. “They have a lot of veterans on their team. They’re a team that won 20 plus games last year [and] probably should have been in the NCAA tournament. When you talk about [junior guard Kenny] Gaines and [junior guard Charles] Mann, their post guys are solid. They’re very physical.”
The Tigers struggled with consistency in an up-and-down game in Columbia, Missouri. LSU had 11-point lead in the first half and 8-point lead in the second half that were erased by a 14-1 run and a 14-2 run by Missouri.
Even after game-tying three-pointer by junior guard Keith Hornsby with 11 seconds to go to send it into overtime, the Tigers went 0-for-8 from the field and 2-for-5 from the free throw line in the extra period.
Missouri was 9-for-22 from behind the arc—something LSU players consider to be difficult to defend—killing any momentum LSU had in regulation. Mickey thought Hornsby’s three-pointer at the end of regulation provided a spark for LSU heading into overtime, but his team didn’t execute.
“We just missed some shots that we would normally make [in overtime],” Mickey said “We probably shot poor from the field. As a team, we definitely shot poorly from the free throw line, but we know we’re capable of doing it.”
Mickey and sophomore forward Jarell Martin—the Tigers two leading scorers—were relatively ineffective Thursday night due to foul trouble and extra attention by Missouri defenders.
Both forwards sat the final six minutes of the first half, and Martin fouled out with 1:51 left in overtime with the game tied at 67. The nine-point outing by both Martin and Mickey were the second and third lowest point totals by the duo of the season.
Martin said Mickey and him must find a balance of being physical and careful to avoid unnecessary fouls.
“I’ll just say be cautious in how we’re playing,” Martin said. “Not making hard plays on them. Not being too aggressive. You want to be aggressive out there, but not aggressive enough to where you’re going to get a foul.”
LSU adds Victor to next year’s team
The 2015-2016 LSU basketball team has added another enticing piece to its roster—this time in the form of a transfer.
Former Arizona Wildcat forward Craig Victor has been cleared by the LSU Compliance Department after signing an SEC scholarship papers to transfer to LSU, where he will be eligible to play after the 2015 fall semester concludes with three years of eligibility left.
The sophomore, originally from New Orleans, attended St. Augustine High School before finishing at Findlay Prep in Las Vegas. He was ranked as the 37th overall player in the nation by ESPN coming out of high school. He will accompany five-star prospects Ben Simmons and Antonio Blakeney, who have committed to play for the Tigers next season.
“I look forward to being able to further develop my skills with Coach Jones and the LSU coaching staff,” Victor said in a press release. “I have always had a great family support system [in New Orleans], and I look forward to being close to home and having them able to be a part of my time at LSU. It’s an exciting and new challenge.”
Jones said recruits recognize the kind of program that LSU is building, making it a desired place to attend school.
“We’re excited. I think a lot of kids are excited about the way that we play, [and] the time and energy that we like to put into them,” Jones said. “I think the success that we’ve had, not only on the recruiting trips, but I think even on the floor. We’ve had two really productive seasons. They see the other kids talent around the country of people buying in and wanting to be a part of what we’re doing.”
