Tag: Eric Gaines

Report: Eric Gaines worked out for the Thunder in pre-draft visit

Eric Gaines spent three seasons in college with LSU & UAB.

The 2023 NBA draft is less than a month away, which means the Oklahoma City Thunder continue to meet with prospects.

One of those prospects who reportedly worked out for the Thunder is UAB guard Eric Gaines, according to Pistons Draft Talk Scouting on Twitter.

In 39 games last season, Gaines averaged 11.5 points on 39.4% shooting, 3.4 rebounds and 4.3 assists. He also shot 34.3% from 3 on 2.8 attempts. The 22-year-old played three college seasons (2020-2023), the first two at LSU and the last at UAB.

Gaines is projected to be a late second-round pick or an undrafted free agent, which means the Thunder could select him with their No. 50 pick.

The 2023 NBA draft is scheduled for Thursday, June 22. A full list of prospects who’ve met with the Thunder can be read here.

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LSU basketball recruiting is a mess. Where does it go from here?

LSU’s recruiting is in a really bad spot, and it might get worse before it gets better.

With the season now in the rearview mirror, LSU basketball enters a period of uncertainty. There’s not much anybody knows about where this program is headed, if anything at all.

Coaching changes always bring turnover and turmoil, but this one feels different. The way the Wade era ended paired together with looming NCAA sanctions has created an atmosphere of chaos.

LSU might have a hard time getting a coach to sign on, even if a loaded contract offer is put in front of them. The program could have even more trouble getting recruits. This is going to be a ground-up rebuild, even if the sanctions from the NCAA are mild.

Before the firing of Wade, LSU’s recruiting was in a great spot, maybe as good as it’s ever been. There were multiple five-stars poised to join the program, but now LSU has just one commit left in Yohan Traore, and Tigers fans shouldn’t hold their breath on that one either.

A couple of guys who have backed off their pledge have noted that Wade was the reason they wanted to come to Baton Rouge. Even if there wasn’t the drama with the NCAA, LSU was going to have a hard time holding this class together.

It might get worse before it gets better, so let’s look at who the Tigers have lost and where they can go from here.

LSU continues to get back on track against Mississippi State

It wasn’t perfect, but LSU got the win

For the first time in well over a month, LSU has won back to back games.

LSU defeated Mississippi State 69-65 on Saturday night at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.

The first few minutes of the game looked like LSU’s offense would be missing in action as they have been far too many times this season.

Mississippi State raced out to a 7-0 lead as LSU missed their first nine shots of the game over the first four minutes. LSU eventually woke up with their own 12-0 run, to make it 12-7.

LSU built on that run to take a strong 37-22 lead into the half. LSU has relied on defense and turnovers to win games this year and there was plenty of that in the first half for the Tigers. LSU was not able to carry that momentum into the second half as Mississippi State fought all the way back to tie it.

Tari Eason then made some big plays and LSU was able to regroup. Eason has had a lot of good games this year but this was one of his best. He did his usual on defense and in transition but he also led the Tigers in 3-point shots. The former Cincinnati transfer led the way with 23 points for LSU.

Mississippi State was led by Iverson Molinar who had a game-high 26 points.

With Pinson back, LSU looks to be getting back on track. Along with Eason, Pinson and Days were the only other Tigers to score in double-digits.

ESPN’s Joe Lunardi said during the broadcast that the NCAA selection committee could take note of injuries that seemed to have led directly to wins and losses and Pinson seems to certainly fit in that category.

Despite the win, LSU needs to shoot better. Darius Days and Pinson both struggled mightily from deep in this game. The offense played well, but it was far from consistent and questions remain.

Mississippi State was a formidable opponent and this was a solid win for a LSU team that was still searching for stability.

Game Details: LSU set to host Mississippi State on Saturday night

LSU set to host Mississippi State on Saturday night at the PMAC.

The LSU Tigers were able to stop the skid once again as they swept Texas A&M on Tuesday night in College Station.

Will Wade and LSU look to make it two in a row. They haven’t won back-to-back games since beating Tennessee and Florida in early January. They have won just two games since that point, both coming against the Aggies with a pair of three-game losing streaks sandwiched in between.

The team looked much better offensively with Xavier Pinson on the floor for a good amount of the game. They built up a 20-point lead in the first half and hung on for the win. Following the matchup with Mississippi State on Saturday the team hosts Georgia.

Over the final seven games, LSU will play No. 5 Kentucky, Arkansas who is coming off a win over No. 1 Auburn, and Alabama to close out the season on Mar. 5.

Game details

  • Date: Saturday, Feb. 12
  • Location: PMAC in Baton Rouge
  • Time: 7:00 p.m. CT
  • TV: ESPN2
  • Radio: LSU Radio Network
  • App: Watch ESPN
  • Live Stream: fuboTV (try it free)

Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook

Spread: LSU (-6.5)

Over/Under: 134.5

Money Line: LSU (-300) | Mississippi State (+230)

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Game Details: LSU goes for season sweep over Texas A&M

LSU looks to end another skid as they head to College Station.

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On Tuesday night LSU Tigers men’s basketball head coach Will Wade will get another opportunity to hit 100 career wins. The fourth time is the charm, right?

Not only is the time trying to get the milestone win for their head coach but they are also looking to stop the skid as they face the Aggies again. LSU came roaring back against Texas A&M in their last matchup to stop a three-game losing streak.

The first time it came before losses to Arkansas, Alabama, and Tennessee. This time around the Tigers are coming off losses to Texas Christian, Ole Miss, and Vanderbilt ahead of their trip to College Station.

Head coach Will Wade is hoping to inject some confidence into this team. “I mean look, we’ve got to inject a little confidence in our guys,” Wade said on Saturday. “we’ve got to get back to certainly playing better than we are now.”

The team needs to have a healthy Xavier Pinson on the floor, something they haven’t had since their first game against the Vols. He sat against Vanderbilt as a chance to let his injured knee heal. The team relied on Darius Days and Tari Eason, as well as Eric Gaines running the offense.

The trio poured in double-digits in points and Days added a double-double with 10 rebounds. It just wasn’t enough after falling behind by 21 points to the Commodores. The key for the Tigers against the Aggies will be staying within striking distance if they get off to a slow start again.

The Tigers will return home on Saturday to host Mississippi State and Georgia before their next road trip. The hope is that LSU can get right over the next four games before battling Kentucky in Lexington.

Game details

  • Date: Tuesday, Feb. 8
  • Location: Reed Arena in College Station, Texas
  • Time: 6:00 p.m. CT
  • TV: SEC Network
  • Radio: LSU Radio Network
  • App: Watch ESPN
  • Live Stream: fuboTV (try it free)

Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook

Spread: LSU (-2.5)

Over/Under: 131.5

Money Line: LSU (-145) | Texas A&M (+270)

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LSU vs Vanderbilt: Game details for Saturday’s SEC tilt

LSU looks to get back to their winning ways against Vanderbilt

The LSU men’s basketball team heads to Tennessee to take on Vanderbilt. LSU has a record of 16-5 and lost five of their last six games. Vanderbilt is 11-10 so far on the season.

Over the past ten games, LSU has been struggling from the field, shooting just 40.8%. They will need to have a better offensive game to win on the road. The Tigers will be without guard Xavier Pinson on Saturday. Since Pinson has been out, LSU has struggled.

Players to watch

Tari Eason leads LSU in scoring averaging 15.2 points per game. Eason is shooting 52.8% from the field and 6.9 rebounds per game. Darius Days is second on the team in scoring with 13.6 points per and is the Tigers leading rebounder, averaging 7.8 rebounds per game. Brandon Murray and Eric Gaines will need to step up and have good games for LSU to win.

Scottie Pippen Jr. leads Vanderbilt in scoring with 19.3 points per game; in his last game, Pippen scored 33 points. Jordan Wright is also a player to watch coming into the contest, averaging 12.3 points and six rebounds per game.

Game details

  • Date: Saturday, Feb. 5
  • Location: Memorial Gymnasium in Nashville, Tennessee
  • Time: 5:00 p.m. CT
  • TV: SEC Network
  • Radio: LSU Radio Network
  • App: Watch ESPN
  • Live Stream: fuboTV (try it free)

Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook

Spread: LSU (-3.5)

Over/Under: 131.5

Money Line: LSU (-180) Vanderbilt (+145)

LSU continues to struggle in loss to TCU, fourth loss in five games

The second-half run falls short for the Tigers

It was another disappointing for Will Wade’s group today.

When it looked like LSU was getting healthier with a chance to break out of its slump, LSU couldn’t secure a win against TCU to drop to 16-5 on the year.

The first 15 minutes of the game were back and forth, with LSU getting out to a 24-23 lead. After that, TCU went on a run to close out the half that gave the Horned Frogs a 38-29 lead. That run extended into the second half when TCU’s Chuck O’Bannon got hot from three. That put LSU down 16 and gave TCU its largest lead of the day.

LSU was able to go on a 15-2 run and cut the TCU lead to three with 11:00 to go.

TCU found their footing and a foul behind the 3-point line gave the Horned Frogs a few free throws to make it 65-56.

The refs blew the whistle a lot in this game, allowing both teams to reach the bonus fairly early. Darius Days and Eric Gaines both found themselves in foul trouble down the stretch.

The amount of free-throw opportunities LSU handed TCU in the second half is what allowed the Horned Frogs to hold off an LSU comeback.

Tari Eason led the Tigers in points, scoring 16. Days and Gaines added 14 apiece.

For TCU, it was O’Bannon, as well as Mike Miles Jr, who shared the game-high, each scoring 19.

A significant storyline today was the return of Xavier Pinson, though he was still on a minutes limit.

LSU has not looked the same since Pinson left the win over Tennessee earlier this month. LSU has been waiting for his return, hoping he would give a boost to the offense.

He only played seven minutes today. Not enough time to gauge if getting Pinson back is really the magic ingredient for a struggling LSU team.

Days, also returning from injury, only shot 5-14 from the field, but did earn his 20th career double-double.

LSU has now lost four of five. Over the last few weeks, LSU’s offensive struggles have come to the forefront after the defense covered them up the first couple of months of the season.

There are too many instances where LSU isn’t able to finish inside. When pressured, their guards aren’t decisive enough with the ball. There’s no knock-down shooter either that Will Wade can rely on when they need to go on a run.

When LSU isn’t creating points in transition, the offense is almost non-existent. Brandon Murray has offered promise the last couple of weeks, but he’s just a freshman who isn’t ready to be the scorer Cam Thomas was last year.

LSU, once again, showed a fight today after erasing a large deficit. The issue is getting into that deficit in the first place. LSU needs to shoot better out of the gate and now rely on 10-0 runs happening every second half.

Next up, LSU will host Ole Miss on Tuesday as they try to get back on track.

Instant Analysis: Takeaways from the LSU Tigers win over Texas A&M

Five takeaways from the LSU victory over Texas A&M

The LSU Tigers men’s basketball team was finally able to get off the snide after a three-game losing streak. They were back at the PMAC, in front of a raucous crowd.

They were once again without starting point guard Xavier Pinson and standout forward Darius Days would also watch the game in street clothes. This meant that Tari Eason, Eric Gaines, and Brandon Murray were going to have to shoulder the load on offense.

Late in the game, the Tigers found themselves in a hole. Down five points and time running out. After it went back and forth, LSU was down 64-61 with 1:49 left in the game. The defense would tighten up and the Aggies wouldn’t score again.

Mwani Wilkinson hit a corner three-point shot to tie the game up at 64 with 1:19 to go. In the final 40 seconds of the game, Gaines and Murray would go 6-6 at the charity stripe to give LSU the 70-64 win.

We broke down five takeaways from the game.

Bad shooting dooms LSU against Tennessee

Darius Days Struggles in LSU’s 64-50 loss to Tennessee

LSU Men’s basketball team has lost three straight games after Tennessee’s 64-50 win. The Tigers are now 15-4 and 3-4 in the SEC.

LSU struggled from the field, shooting 38% and 17.6% from three-point land. Tennessee jumped out to a quick 14-0 lead as the Tigers missed their first seven shots. The Tigers then went on a 12-3 run to get back in the game, but the Vols did an outstanding job holding off and eventually won by 14 points.

LSU played again without point guard Xavier Pinson, and his absence is starting to affect the way the Tigers play on the court. Tari Eason led the Tigers in scoring with 16 points and added six rebounds. Brandon Murray had 15 points on 7-12 shooting, and Eric Gaines pitched in with ten points.

However, Darius Days again struggled, scoring just five points on 2-10 shooting from the field and 1-7 from beyond the arc. He re-injured his ankle but did return to the game.

Santiago Vescovi led Tennessee in scoring with 16 points, and he hit five three-pointers. Uros Plavsic added 12 points and six rebounds. The Vols did a great job on the defensive end, forcing LSU into tough shots. Tennessee also hit ten three-point attempts, which helped them win the game.

Up next for LSU, they return home to take on Texas A&M. The Tigers need to get going; hopefully, Pinson will come back soon. However, they must also get Days on track the last two games; he has struggled a lot.

Turnovers down the stretch allows Arkansas to upset LSU

Turnovers and cold shooting hurt LSU late in the second half.

On Saturday afternoon, the Arkansas Razorbacks upset the LSU Tigers upset 65-58. The loss drops LSU to 15-2 and Arkansas 12-5.

With seven minutes left in the game, LSU was up by eight points and seemed in control of the game. But the Razorbacks went on a 10-0 run to take the lead. During the last six minutes, LSU went cold from the field and had six crucial turnovers.

The Tigers struggled from the field as a team, shooting 38.2% from the field and 26.3% from three-point land. The Razorback shot 41.8% from the field and 29.4% from beyond the arc. Arkansas outrebounded LSU 41-31, the Razorbacks got hot at the right time, and turnovers were costly for the Tigers.

Darius Days struggled in the game, scoring just three points on 1-8 shooting from the field. LSU had just one starter in double figures Eric Gaines had a team-high 14 points. Tari Eason and Alex Fudge scored 13 points apiece.

JD Notae led Arkansas in points with 19. Jaylin Williams was a monster on the boards for the Razorbacks, grabbing 13 rebounds; he also scored 11 points and had three steals. The Razorbacks did a great job staying active on the boards and played outstanding defense.

LSU will look to rebound from their loss against Alabama on Wednesday as they hit the road.