The LSU basketball team does not want to experience déja vu.
Last year’s team started the Southeastern Conference season 1-1 before losing five straight league contests to fall to 1-6.
The Tigers then won seven of their next nine games, got two victories in the SEC Tournament and was extended a bid to the NCAA Tournament.
This year, LSU (12-4, 2-3 SEC) actually started 2-0 in conference, but since have dropped three straight contests and are in danger of putting themselves in a deep hole.
That’s what makes tonight’s game against Georgia (9-7, 1-4 SEC) at 7 p.m. in the PMAC such an important contest, according to sophomore guard Darrel Mitchell.
“We’ve just got to come in and get this win,” Mitchell said. “This is going to be the biggest game we’ve had this year because we really need it — because we’re 2-3 in the league and it would be a nice win.”
LSU is facing a Bulldogs team that is somewhat of a mystery.
Georgia defeated rival Georgia Tech 83-80 when the Yellow Jackets were ranked No. 3 and travelled to Lexington, Ky., beating No. 5 Kentucky, 65-57, at Rupp Arena.
But they lost to Winthrop by 20 at home and were beaten 89-65 by Tennessee on the road.
“It just goes to show you that they are capable of playing really well,” LSU coach John Brady said of the Bulldogs. “They are a little thin off the bench but certainly they have four seniors. And in the three years those seniors have been there they’ve probably averaged 20 wins a year so it’s not like you’re talking about four seniors that haven’t had success or haven’t been to the NCAA Tournament.”
All four of the seniors Brady spoke of are averaging in double digits for points per game.
They are led by 6-foot-7 guard Damien Wilkens, who score 12.8 points per game and pulls down six rebounds per contest. Senior forward Chris Daniels is Georgia’s leading rebounder, averaging 9.6 per game.
“No matter who you play in the SEC, you’ve got a battle on your hands,” said LSU junior forward Antonio Hudson. “They are 1-4 in the SEC, but they’ve got good talented players and a good core of players coming back. So you’ve got to be ready to play.”
Lately, however, it has not been the opponent that has given LSU problems. It has been themselves.
The Tigers have shot 40.4 percent from the field during their three-game slide and turned the ball over 23 times in Saturday’s loss at South Carolina.
The zone defense has given them problems, as open shots have not been falling, Brady said.
“I’d never thought where we’d be with this team where we are right now,” Brady said. “We’re worrying about where points are going to come from. I thought that this team wouldn’t defend well consistently because of the youth of it. But that hasn’t been the case. We’re defending, at this time, better than we were a year ago.”