Xavier Whipple played a grand total of 33 minutes in LSU’s first 18 games, with nearly all of them coming in garbage time- when the Tigers held a big lead or had little hope for a comeback.
The sophomore point guard from McIntyre, Ga., said the lack of activity took a toll on him.
“Being here and not playing, that was rough on me,” Whipple said. “There were some days when I felt like I really didn’t want to do anything because I wasn’t playing. But I always tried to tell myself to keep going. And my mom and my [high school] coaches talked to me and told me to keep working hard, and it would come.”
Whipple said transferring to another school was something he definitely thought about, but the hassle of it stopped him from doing so.
“Transferring crossed my mind a lot,” he said. “But I just told myself I made the decision to come [to LSU], and if I transferred, I was going to have to sit out [for a year]. Also it would have been hard to find somewhere, so I said I was going to try to stick it out and see what happened.”
With those thoughts in mind, it is understandable why Whipple was surprised when head coach John Brady ordered him to enter the game against Alabama on Feb. 1 on the road with around 11 minutes remaining. LSU trailed 52-36 at the time.
“Yeah, I was kind of surprised,” he said. “I thought I had some good practices prior to the game, so I felt like I might play a little bit that game. But when he called my name, I just went in and tried to do what I could do to help the team.”
Whipple finished the game with one assist and one rebound in 11 minutes, one-third the amount of time he played in the first 18 games. But maybe even more importantly, he did not commit a single turnover.
Still, Whipple said the idea of starting the next game against South Carolina never crossed his mind.
“I was not thinking I was going to start,” Whipple said. “But [Brady] told me after the [Alabama] game he was going to remember what I did. So I kind of felt like I was going to be playing. But I never was really thinking of starting.”
Whipple said the next time the team practiced, Brady placed him on the gold squad, which is usually reserved for the starters. Whipple still didn’t think he would start.
“Gameday was really when I knew that I was going to start,” Whipple said. “Coach [Butch] Pierre talked to me, and Coach Brady talked to me and told me. So that is really when I found out.”
Once again Whipple logged a significant amount of time, playing 13 minutes, and chipped in with four points and one assist. He turned the ball over just once from the point guard position. The game also marked the move of previous point guard Torris Bright to the shooting guard position, a move that LSU has bore the fruits of since it occurred.
While Whipple averages only 2.5 points per game, his main responsibility is to initiate the offense and create shots for other players.
The Tigers are 7-2 since Whipple was inserted into the starting lineup, and Bright averaged 13.2 points in those last nine games.
“I feel like I have done a pretty good job,” Whipple said. “I think I have had a couple of good games, but I still don’t think I have played my best. I feel like the best is still to come. I am just starting to really get relaxed and starting to really play. Overall we arre winning, so I guess what I am doing is the right thing.”
The re-emergence of Bright also pleases Whipple.
“Torris is a senior,” he said. “Me and Torris are real tight. I just want to see him succeed. I know he wants to make it at the next level. I am glad he is playing well right now.”
Whipple said he does not know what the future holds, but he is glad it has started earlier than expected.
“I can’t really say [what is going to happen],” he said. “But all I know is I am going to try to work hard, and whatever happens, happens.”
SEC Notes: Due to alleged improprieties by the Georgia basketball program and its head coach Jim Harrick, the Bulldogs have ended their season and decided not to participate in the Southeastern Conference Tournament and the NCAA Tournament. Due to this decision, LSU now faces Arkansas on Thursday at the Superdome in New Orleans at 2:15 p.m. rather than previously scheduled Vanderbilt.