LSU has the opportunity to better its Southeastern Conference tournament seeding dramatically during the team’s final four games. If the tournament started today, the Tigers would be the No. 6 seed in the Western Division. LSU (10-16, 3-9) heads to South Carolina (12-14, 4-8) tonight with a chance to jump into a third place tie in the SEC West despite a frustrating season. The young Tigers, one of two SEC teams with no seniors, are looking for a strong finish in conference play as a potential mental victory. “That would be big for our team because of where we came from,” said LSU interim coach Butch Pierre. “If we can be in the middle of the pack, it would be something that these guys could really look upon – particularly when we get to the Southeastern Conference tournament.” After a 1-7 start to conference play, the Tigers have a two-point loss to No. 1 Tennessee, a 12-point win at Florida, a four-point loss to Kentucky and a 20-point win against Ole Miss. A 26-point loss at Arkansas a week ago is the only real embarrassment LSU has suffered since Pierre took over for former coach John Brady nearly three weeks ago. Now the Tigers are within striking distance of third place in the division despite the early disappointment that led to Brady’s dismissal. The Tigers will have to rely on some help in other league games to reach third place tonight. But the first order of business is for them to take care of the Gamecocks – another young team amid a frustrating season. The Gamecocks held a three-point lead against Mississippi State on Saturday with time expiring when South Carolina sophomore forward Evaldas Baniulis sent Mississippi State sophomore guard Ben Hansbrough to the free-throw line for three shots. The 76.7 percent foul shooter connected on all three attempts. The Bulldogs won the game in overtime, 61-56, sending South Carolina to its third loss of five or fewer points in two weeks. “It was hard for our fans, hard for our team and hard for me,” said South Carolina coach Dave Odom. “There’s no denying that, so we’ve got a real challenge ahead of us.” Sophomore transfer guard Devan Downey has been one of few positives for Odom and his team. “Downey is one of the best five or 10 offensive point guards in the country,” Pierre said. “He has quickness, speed, agility, the ability to change directions with the ball and he can separate himself from the defender to score and also shoot the three.” Downey leads the SEC in scoring with 19.7 points per game and is No. 2 in the conference in assists with 5.1 assists per game. “[Downey] is as quick as – if not quicker than – [Ole Miss freshman guard] Chris Warren,” said LSU junior guard Garrett Temple. “But he stops and goes more. He doesn’t shoot as well, but he stops and goes in the paint.” Temple held Warren, the Rebels’ leader in scoring and assists, to eight points and one assist Saturday. “I do cherish being a defensive stopper,” Temple said. “If I hold a guy 10 points below his average, it’s basically like scoring 10 points for my team.” Temple and the Tigers have faced Downey before. Downey, who transferred to South Carolina in 2006, was a freshman for Cincinnati, who beat LSU 75-72, in Las Vegas two seasons ago. Downey scored 11 points and had eight assists in a game in which Temple saw limited action. The Tigers reached the Final Four later that season while Downey played for current Ole Miss coach Andy Kennedy in the National Invitation Tournament. Downey and Kennedy both left Cincinnati for the SEC at the end of the season.
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