With two weeks left in regular season play, LSU basketball is preparing for an NCAA tournament berth for the second consecutive year.
Despite four losses in the Tigers’ last six games, ESPN’s bracketology with Joe Lunardi slots LSU as an eight seed in the West region. As part of the projection, coach Will Wade’s team would travel to Spokane, Washington, to play the ninth-seeded Rutgers.
The Tigers were projected as a four seed as recently as Feb. 4 following eight wins to start Southeastern Conference play before losses to Vanderbilt, Auburn, Alabama and Kentucky. Kentucky also captured first place in the conference standings due to LSU’s slide.
In Lunardi’s projections, LSU joins Florida, Auburn and Kentucky as the other SEC teams expected to make the tournament. Mississippi State, Alabama and South Carolina are among the bubble teams vying for a postseason ticket.
LSU has not made back-to-back NCAA tournament appearences since the 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 seasons. Last year, the Tigers earned a three seed, defeating Yale and Maryland before falling to Michigan State in the Sweet Sixteen.
The SEC tournament kicks off on March 11 in Nashville. LSU, along with Auburn and Florida, is battling for the second seed. ESPN and SEC Network will provide television throughout the weekend event. LSU has not won the SEC Tournament since 1980.
If LSU manages a top four regular season conference finish, the Tigers’ first game in the SEC Tournament will be on Friday, March 13, in Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena. Though unlikely, LSU would play on the Thursday before if it were to fall below a fourth place finish in the final standings. The SEC Championship is set for Sunday, March 15, at noon on ESPN.
The Tigers have three remaining regular season games. On Saturday, Texas A&M visits the Pete Maravich Assembly Center for an 11 a.m. tipoff on ESPN2. LSU finishes its regular season with a road matchup against Arkansas on March 4 and senior day versus Georgia on March 7.
LSU defeated Texas A&M 89-85 in overtime on Jan. 14 and Arkansas 79-77 on Jan. 8 earlier this season. The Tigers have yet to play Georgia.