Depending on how you look at it, the LSU basketball team is either in a good position or in quite a little pickle.
The Tigers are 17-8 overall and 7-7 in the Southeastern Conference.
They have two games remaining in the regular season and the SEC Tournament to follow.
Usually a team will not get invited to the NCAA Tournament if it does not have at least a .500 record in conference play. There are exceptions, such as Alabama last year, who went 7-9 in conference but played a very tough out-of-conference schedule, which the tournament selection committee smiles upon.
LSU, which has a decent schedule this year but is not exactly murderer’s row, does not have that luxury. They must finish at least 8-8 in conference, if not 9-7, to be assured a bid.
That is where the predicament comes into play.
The Tigers shot out to a 7-3 record in the SEC and everyone thought an invitation to the NCAA Tournament was a lock and LSU would simply be playing the rest of the season for seeding purposes.
But since the Tigers defeated Florida in Gainesville on Feb. 14, a lot of things have changed. And these are not exactly your run of the mill occurrences that happen to every basketball team.
Against the Gators, LSU’s best player and the SEC’s most effective inside force Jaime Lloreda turned his right ankle twice. That compounded with bursitis in his left foot spelled trouble.
He played the next game against Auburn, but was noticeably hobbled and ineffective on defense. And that is where the free-fall started.
LSU lost its next three contests and currently are in the midst of a four-game losing streak. But maybe worst of all, Lloreda’s future at LSU is unclear, to say the least.
Although nothing official is being announced until today, it appears the senior’s playing days in an LSU uniform may be over and not necessarily due to injury.
Recently, Florida sophomore guard Christian Drejer, a native of Denmark, left the Gators during the season the play professional basketball in Spain. Providence experienced the same situation when senior forward Maris Laksa left the team in February to play for a team in Slovenia.
And although I cannot make it clear enough that nothing yet is official, it appears Lloreda’s plight may be headed in the same direction.
“Providence had a young man go home to Europe and Florida experience one going home,” said LSU head coach John Brady. “And you know I’m not sure it’s the same case with us but I think it may be. But I don’t know that for a fact.”
So if that is the case, where does that leave LSU?
Will the NCAA Selection Committee give the Tigers the same treatment if it is without Lloreda? Probably not.
But they can do two things that will wash away any doubts.
If the Tigers beat Ole Miss at home on Wednesday and defeat Auburn on the road for the season finale, LSU is in. Period. No questions asked.
The Tigers showed they can play well without Lloreda against Kentucky Sunday, and even though they came up short, they put forth a phenomenal effort.
And with today’s announcement on Lloreda pending, a little closure to the situation may make LSU play even better.
One thing is for sure — the only things that matter now are wins.