Tag: Kevin Nickelberry

How painful was LSU’s first-round NCAA Tournament loss?

ESPN ranked the Tigers’ loss as the 52nd most painful among 66 losses during the tournament.

Though the Final Four was ultimately fairly chalky, it was a wild NCAA Tournament this year as a whole. There were a number of high-profile upsets, especially during the first weekend.

One such victim was LSU, who lost its opening matchup as the No. 6 seed vs. 11-seeded Iowa State. The Cyclones ultimately made a Sweet 16 run before falling to Miami.

It was a disappointing way for the season to end, but it also wasn’t exactly surprising. The Tigers entered the tournament with bigger concerns, as head coach [autotag]Will Wade[/autotag] had just been fired as a result of the NCAA’s Notice of Allegations regarding violations within the program. Interim coach [autotag]Kevin Nickelberry[/autotag] led the team into the postseason.

While any postseason exit short of a national title hurts, especially when it comes in upset fashion, it’s hard to fault LSU too much for this one given the circumstances. ESPN agreed, and in it’s “pain index” for every loss in the tournament, the Tigers’ ranked just No. 52 out of 66. It was also ranked the lowest of any loss by a power conference team.

How they lost: No. 11 seed Iowa State defeated the Tigers 59-54 in the first round

Peak win probability: 74.0% (LSU 5, Iowa State 4, 17:22 mark of first half)

How much it hurt: LSU’s NCAA tournament circumstances were bizarre, and not for the first time, as the school finally ousted scandal-plagued coach Will Wade on the eve of the 2022 tournament and was led by an interim coach for the second time in four years. It was hard to know whether a talented but inconsistent Tigers group would rally around interim coach Kevin Nickelberry or would have one foot in the transfer portal. The results were somewhere in between. LSU fell behind 24-12 in the first half but didn’t quit, tying it at 31-31 in the second half and heading into the final two minutes down 51-50 and holding a chance. But the Cyclones’ Tyrese Hunter hit two dagger 3s in the closing minutes, the Tigers missed a couple of key free throws, and the game went to ISU.

“We were in the game till the end,” Nickelberry said afterward. “I said all week it’s just basketball, but the distractions were a lot and these guys still fought through those distractions, went out and gave LSU a chance to win tonight.”

Given the events that immediately followed, it’s no surprise the Tigers were distracted. Every player on the roster either entered the 2022 NBA draft or the transfer portal following the season, meaning LSU will literally be starting from scratch next season.

New coach [autotag]Matt McMahon[/autotag] will certainly have his hands full, but regardless, the NCAA Tournament loss with an interim coach likely isn’t one that will sting Tigers fans for years to come.

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LSU interim coach Kevin Nickelberry explains technical foul from NCAA Tournament loss to Iowa State

The instance of too many men on the court was one of several mistakes the Tigers made in an opening-round upset loss.

Kevin Nickelberry found himself in a tough spot this week.

He was unexpectedly thrust into LSU men’s basketball’s interim head coaching role after Will Wade and associated head coach Bill Armstrong were fired on Saturday ahead of the postseason.

Nickelberry took a team to Milwaukee with a cloud of uncertainty hanging over it, and though it fought hard against No. 11-seeded Iowa State in the first round, the No. 6-seeded Tigers were upset 59-54.

LSU’s defense was strong as usual, but the offense struggled to execute, especially in the first half. There were also several mistakes that proved costly, one of the most notable being a technical foul that resulted from the Tigers having six players on the court.

After the game, Nickelberry addressed the situation.

“I don’t know what happened, to be honest with you,” Nickelberry said, according to On3. “I went over and asked why we got the tech. He said we had too many people on the floor. I think probably tired — we subbed somebody in and the wrong person came out and he tried to get back onto the floor. It’s happened before. I’ve coached for 30 years, it’s not the first time I’ve seen somebody get a tech for having somebody on the floor.

“It’s unfortunate. It happens. We had to do some new rotations tonight with the foul trouble issues we had. Unfortunately, we got in foul trouble again early in the game. So, something that’s haunting us all year.”

Nickelberry tried to shield the team from distractions this week, but given the murky future at head coach and lingering potential NCAA sanctions, that was easier said than done. Still, he said he was proud of the way his team fought through adversity.

“First of all, I would like to obviously thank these players for dealing with a tough week and coming out and fighting an entire game,” Nickelberry said. “We had — the last one gave us a chance to get a win and we were in the game till the end. So I know to the normal person — I said all week it’s just basketball, but the distractions were a lot and these guys still fought through those distractions, went out and gave LSU a chance to win tonight.”

After a first-round upset as a seeding favorite, the Tigers head into what could be a tumultuous offseason. They still need to find a full-time replacement for Wade, and they also have a lot of ground to make up in recruiting.

The team has now lost both of its 2022 signees, leaving just one commit, and the lone commit in 2023 — five-star point guard Marvel Allen — also decommitted.

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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.

Instant takeaways: LSU exits NCAA Tournament with loss to Iowa State

LSU’s season came to a heartbreaking end on Friday night. Here are the takeaways.

LSU’s roller coaster of a season came to a roller coaster of an end on Friday night as the Tigers were eliminated from the NCAA Tournament at the hands of Iowa State in the first round in Milwaukee.

It was the team’s first game without Will Wade on the sideline after his firing last Saturday, which began a chaotic week for the program.

LSU did not get off to a hot start, with Iowa State controlling the first half. In the first 20 minutes, the Tigers’ offense couldn’t drum up much as it couldn’t finish near the rim or establish any consistent three-point shooting. Tari Eason spent much of the half in foul trouble.

Despite that, and only scoring 19 points, LSU was only down five at the half. It’s something LSU fans have become accustomed to this season. Sloppy play from the offense, but the defense doing just enough to keep it a game.

LSU found some spark in the second half, but it wasn’t enough as Iowa State was able to hit the clutch shots that the Tigers could not. Offense was LSU’s Achilles’ heel all year, and it did the Tigers in on Friday night.

With this team’s season now over, here are five takeaways from the loss to the Cyclones.

Interim coach Kevin Nickelberry discusses Darius Days’ role with Will Wade gone

Nickelberry said he will turn to his veteran leader to spark the team heading into the NCAA Tournament.

LSU senior Darius Days, has had his best statistical season this year for the Tigers as he has averaged 13.7 points per game and 7.7 rebounds while shooting 72% from the free-throw line. Those numbers earned him a Second-Team All-SEC selection.

As a four-year player for LSU, Days has seen it all. He has been through the highs and the lows of the Will Wade era. When the Tigers have their back against the wall who do they turn to? Darius Days.

This is why he was the first person Kevin Nickelberry talked to as soon as he was named the interim head coach after Will Wade was fired.

“He was the first person I talked with, first player I met with last night,” Nickelberry said of Days. “I’m going to lean on him a lot. It’s easier for me to get the attention of guys because they know I’ve been a head coach. A lot of the guys I recruited. They know I have a relationship with them. So, the same is for Darius.

“Darius has been through this before. So, I asked him to speak to the team. He spoke to the team, and he’s going to continue to. Mentor these kids, and prepare them for this moment. Again, they call it a shining moment for a reason. This is a moment. I think Darius has been through it. He’s very prepared to prepare these young guys for this moment.”

Days is the kind of guy that can rally the troops. That is exactly what LSU needs as they head into March Madness. They need someone who can calm the madness and get the team focused for the Iowa State game. If LSU is successful in the tournament, Days will be a big reason why.

The Tigers start their postseason run against the Cyclones on Friday in Milwaukee.

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LSU interim coach Kevin Nickelberry said Will Wade didn’t address team after dismissal

Nickelberry had an interesting comment about Wade’s exit on Saturday.

It’s been a difficult few days for LSU basketball at a time when there’s plenty of cause for celebration. Despite ending the regular season on a rough note, the Tigers are a No. 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

That’s an accomplishment that can’t be overlooked given LSU’s history as a program, but LSU will have to prepare for its postseason opener against Iowa State without its leader.

Coach Will Wade was fired on Saturday as a result of the scope of the NCAA’s investigation into the program (as well as a Notice of Allegations that cited Wade directly for Level I violations). It’s certainly a result he wasn’t happy with, and the NCAA allegations add another layer to the usual coaching-change dynamics.

With that being said, interim coach Kevin Nickelberry made an interesting admission at his press conference on Sunday. Per Nickelberry, Wade never addressed the team following his dismissal.

“No,” Nickelberry said when asked if Wade spoke to the players.

Given the circumstances, it’s not exactly surprising. Depending on how the investigation plays out, LSU’s program could be looking at sanctions for several years down the road that would almost certainly hamper its progress over the last few years. Nickelberry spoke of moving forward in his press conference.

Still, it’s hard to imagine Wade’s quick exit isn’t weighing on the minds of the Tigers players as they head to Milwaukee hoping to avoid an upset in the first round against a Cyclones team that finished with a losing record in the Big 12 but also boasts nine Quadrant 1 wins on its resume.

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Looking at LSU’s last five trips to the NCAA Tournament

As March Madness begins, we take a look back on what happened in each of LSU’s last five tournament appearances

On Sunday, LSU learned it would be a No. 6 seed headed to Milwaukee to face Iowa State in the first round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament. The seeding was about in line with expectations for the Tigers after the loss to Arkansas in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals, and it’s an improvement from where they were seeded in 2021.

It’s been a hectic week for the program with coach Will Wade being fired right after the team’s exit on Saturday, just a few days after the Notice of Allegations from the NCAA arrived.

With some days passing after the firing of Wade, and LSU now able to prepare for an opponent, things feel just a bit calmer.

The Tigers don’t have the most illustrious history when it comes to basketball. This is, after all, a football school, but it’s had its fair share of fun in March over the years.

Today, LSU Tigers Wire takes a look back at their last five trips to the NCAA tournament, where their success has varied, featuring everything from first-round exits to Final Four trips.

Over that span, LSU has been led by four different coaches. If one were to count interims, then Kevin Nickelberry will be the sixth coach in the last six tournament appearances.

Later this week, this year’s team will attempt to avoid being one of those first-round exits as they head to Milwaukee in the Midwest Region. With that in mind, here’s a rundown of those five previous trips.

Get to know LSU interim men’s basketball coach Kevin Nickelberry

Nickelberry will take the helm heading into the NCAA Tournament after Will Wade was fired on Saturday.

LSU is heading to a likely berth as a top-half seed in the NCAA Tournament, but Saturday’s events rained on that parade a bit. The school fired fifth-year basketball coach Will Wade, who finished his tenure in Baton Rouge at 105-51 with a Sweet 16 appearance in Year 2 as his deepest postseason run.

The news came just days after LSU received a Notice of Allegations from the NCAA citing Wade for several Level I violations. Per his contract, that could permit the administration to fire him for cause.

Wade will not coach the Tigers in March Madness, and neither will associate head coach Bill Armstrong, who was also fired. Instead, assistant Kevin Nickelberry takes over as the interim coach.

Nickelberry is a veteran of the sport with a career spanning more than three decades. LSU athletics director Scott Woodward will likely look for a more established coach to take the full-time role, but a deep tournament run could certainly make an impression on the powers that be.

With that in mind, here’s a rundown of Nickelberry’s background.

LSU fires coach Will Wade

Wade was cited for five Level I NCAA violations in the Notice of Allegations.

LSU fired fifth-year men’s basketball coach Will Wade on Saturday following the team’s exit in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals, according to multiple reports. The news was first reported by CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein.

Wade finishes his tenure in Baton Rouge with a 105-51 record. His deepest run in the NCAA Tournament came in his second season in 2018-19, when he took the Tigers to the Sweet 16. The school also fired associate head coach Bill Armstrong.

Kevin Nickelberry, who has served as an assistant for the Tigers since 2019, will take over as the interim coach. Nickelberry previously served as the head coach at Hampton (2006-09) and Howard (2010-19), earning a career record of 145-238.

He was also the head coach of the women’s team at Columbia Union College from 1991-94 and for the Libyan men’s national team from 2009-10.

This news comes just days after LSU was hit with a Notice of Allegations from the NCAA regarding the federal investigation into corruption in college basketball that began in 2017.

According to Sports Illustrated’s Ross Dellenger, Wade was cited with five Level I NCAA violations as well as with obstructing an investigation by concealing evidence and unethical conduct. The NOA also alleges that Wade and LSU engaged in “planned/schemed/purposeful” cheating.

Per an amendment to Wade’s contract that was added in 2019, the school is permitted to fire him for cause if he is cited by the NCAA, which would mean it owes him nothing.

In a joint statement from university president William Tate and athletics director Scott Woodward, LSU emphasized that its decision to terminate Wade was not “an acknowledgment of agreement with any of the allegations.”

LSU began the 2021-22 season 12-0 but finished with a fairly disappointing 22-11 record. The Tigers are projected as a No. 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament and will find out their bracket placement on Sunday. But they will have to make their run in March amid a coaching change.

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