LSU’s heralded 2003 recruiting class is coming around just in the nick of time.
With the departure of leading scorer and rebounder Jaime Lloreda to a foot injury, the Tigers needed someone to step up in his place.
Instead, the whole freshman class did and it will lead LSU (18-8, 8-7 Southeastern Conference) into a very important game for the Tigers’ NCAA Tournament hopes when they travel to Auburn (13-13, 4-11 SEC) for a game Saturday at 3 p.m.
The freshmen, including Tack Minor, Ross Neltner, Brandon Bass, Regis Koundjia and Darnell Lazare combined for 38 of LSU’s 58 points in Wednesday’s win over Ole Miss.
LSU coach John Brady said he will leave the starting lineup the same, which includes Bass and Lazare, but will go to his young bench with confidence because of the way it has performed lately.
“We’re going to stay with what we have,” Brady said. “There’s no use changing the lineup. The freshmen are playing better and particularly the last couple of games, we’ve had four freshmen and a sophomore in there when we’ve played really well.”
The freshman class, which was rated in the Top 5 in the country according to many college basketball publications, has been waiting all season to shine, according to Minor.
“I’m just happy we’re stepping up,” Minor said. “We’re getting used to playing with each other. We’re stepping up big time and we’re getting the scaredness out of us. We’re stepping up and we’ve got confidence, so we’re going to be pretty good.”
They will need to be good at Auburn, which handled the Tigers, 80-68, on Feb. 18 before 11,024 people in the PMAC. Auburn went on a 28-2 run in the second half to put the game away in what started a four-game losing streak for LSU. In that game, Lloreda was hobbled and played at less than 100 percent. He was ineffective on defense, and Auburn shot 55.6 percent from the field.
Auburn will also have an emotional edge as Senior-Day ceremonies will take place to honor four seniors.
“When we caught them early, it was a game in which Lloreda was hurt,” said Auburn coach Cliff Ellis. “I think we were able to capitalize somewhat on his injury, but I know this team is playing pretty well right now. It is an important day for us. It is Senior Day. We have four seniors who participated with our team. It’s always an important day.”
One of those seniors is center Kyle Davis, who is second in SEC history in blocked shots.
He is joined by forwards Brandon Robinson and Marco Killingsworth, who are all parts of a formidable Auburn frontline. Killingsworth and Robinson combined for 37 points the first time around, while guard Ian Young scored a then-career-high 21 points off the bench.
“We just didn’t execute as well as we have the last two games,” said guard Darrel Mitchell of LSU’s first game with Auburn. “We didn’t play as tough of defense. They have a real good, experienced team that has four guys back from the Sweet 16 team last year. It just hasn’t shown in their record.”
With a win, LSU would improve to 9-7 in conference and be a virtual lock for the NCAA Tournament. But with a loss, LSU may remain on the so-called bubble and have to sweat it out.
“I think every 8-8 [team] in the SEC tournament has been taken except for one occasion 10 years ago,” Brady said. “So it would seem to me if history repeats itself, 8-8 in the SEC is good enough to get you in. Our strength of schedule is good, our RPI is good and I know we haven’t played as well of late as some teams, but certainly, when you think about the SEC, which is either the first or second strongest conference in the country RPI wise, we’re definitely one of the top 64 teams in America.”