Like most schools, LSU’s history in the NCAA tournament is a mixed bag. There’s been three Final Four appearances since 1979, but more often than not, LSU flamed out in the first round.
Luckily for the Tigers, their history as a top-four seed in the NCAA is generally positive. They had back-to-back years as a one seed in 1980 and 1981 — resulting in an Elite Eight and Final Four appearance, respectively. In 1979, LSU earned its lone three -seed until this year’s team, and was a four-seed in 1985, 2000 and 2006.
LSU hopes to channel some of the magic from the 2006 team, which was LSU’s most recent Final Four team. Like the 2006, team LSU has found itself in a bracket with Duke, which is led by National Player of the Year candidates Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett — much like they were in 2006 when JJ Redick won the award.
The Tigers went into the Sweet Sixteen matchup as vast underdogs against Duke, the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament. A strong defensive effort by Tyrus Thomas and Garrett Temple carried LSU to victory in a record-setting performance. LSU held Duke to 54 points, the lowest total any LSU team has held an opponent to in the NCAA tournament, and ended up winning 62-54 before beating Texas in the Elite Eight in overtime to advance to the Final Four.
LSU will avoid a matchup with Duke until the Elite Eight, but first LSU has to get there.
History says LSU is likely to get to at least the second weekend as a top-four seed. The 1985 team led by John Williams and Nikita Wilson was the only LSU team seeded as a four or higher to get eliminated in the first round and not make it to at the Sweet Sixteen.
LSU’s path to the Sweet Sixteen seems relatively easy – wins over 14-seeded Yale and another win over likely 6-seeded Maryland does the trick. But when it comes to March unpredictability reigns supreme, and with that in mind, many analysts and experts pick Yale as a potential upset pick over LSU.
A loss to Yale means LSU’s winless streak in the NCAA tournament continues and the Tigers will have failed to reach the second weekend of the NCAA tournament in five of their last six tournament appearances dating back to 2003.
An exit on the first weekend of the tournament keeps with the theme of LSU basketball. As exciting as Final Four runs in the 1981, 1986 and 2006 were, the majority of LSU’s 20 NCAA appearances in the modern-era of college basketball ended with the Tigers getting bounced in the first two rounds.
Even teams led by LSU greats Shaquille O’Neal and Chris Jackson struggled in March and failed to make it out of the first two rounds, which has been the case for 12 of LSU’s 19 NCAA tournament appearances since 1979.
LSU stars Tremont Waters and Naz Reid look to do what O’Neal and Jackson did not do and make the second weekend of the tournament.
They’ll be helped by fully healthy group of cohorts, but they have to do it without head coach Will Wade. Wade’s been suspended by the University indefinitely for not meeting with school officials following a report by Yahoo! Sports detailing a conversation Wade had over the phone about a recruit.
Assistant coach Tony Benford has taken over in the interim for Wade, and Benford hopes to lead LSU out of the first round for the first time since 2009.
Benford’s history as a head coach in the NCAA tournament is empty – he’s never been. Neither has any on LSU’s roster with the exception of Kavell Bigby-Williams, who played in the 2017 Final Four with Oregon.
Without any experience to fall back on, it’s going to be time for a fresh group of LSU players to write a new history. One they hope ends with the Tigers cutting down nets in Minnesota and claiming their first-ever national championship.