Tag: LSU basketball

LSU basketball recruiting: 2021 guard Brandon Murray commits to the Tigers

It didn’t take long for Kevin Nickelberry to land his first recruit as a full-time assistant for the LSU basketball program.

It didn’t take long for Kevin Nickelberry to land his first recruit as a full-time assistant for the LSU basketball program.

On Friday, Brandon Murray, a three-star guard in the 2021 class, made his pledge to LSU.

The 6-foot-5, 200-pounder plays his high school basketball at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. He is the second recruit in the 2021 cycle for head coach Will Wade and the Tigers.

One major reason Murray picked the Tigers was his relationship with Nickelberry, per Billy Embody of 247Sports.

Coach Nickelberry was the main recruiter. Coach Nickelberry knew that everyone and LSU came late, but they knew that they were going to be one of the hardest recruiting people and Nickelberry made it real clear that they wanted me. Nickelberry, he was the head recruiter and we just built a real good relationship.

With Murray’s commitment, LSU has the No. 22 class in 2021, per 247Sports.

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Two former LSU Tigers make list of Top 100 players in NBA Draft

A pair of former Tigers landed on the list.

The deadline for college players to remove their names from the upcoming 2020 NBA Draft expired on Aug. 3. — and it was a good day for Will Wade’s LSU Tigers as three of his stars returned to Baton Rouge.

Trendon Watford, Javonte Smart and Darius Days all decided to return to LSU for the 2020-21 college hoops season.

However, two former LSU players — guard Skylar Mays and Emmitt Williams — both remain in the draft, which is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 16.

Rookie Wire recently compiled a big board of the NBA Draft’s top 100 players after the deadline and the two former LSU stars made the list.

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Mays, of course, was a four-year starter for the Tigers whose eligibility expired at the conclusion of the 2019-20 season. He averaged 16.7 points per game for LSU last season and finished a stellar career with over 1,600 points scored.

Mays was ranked No. 46 by Rookie Wire, who had this to say about him.

Skylar Mays averaged 16.7 points with 5.0 rebounds per game this season. He led LSU to finish among the top five offenses in Division I, according to KenPom. He is a solid 3-and-D prospect who connected on 1.6 shots from beyond the arc per game while also forcing 1.8 steals per game.

Williams. who had two years of eligibility remaining, was one of Wade’s first big recruits at LSU. A five-star forward from Lehigh Acres, Fla., the 6-foot-6 Williams was ranked No. 73 by Rookie Wire.

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Emmitt Williams won MVP at the Jordan Brand Classic in 2018, scoring 44 points on 22-of-23 attempts. He averaged 13.3 points and 6.6 rebounds as a sophomore and averaged 1.26 points per possession as the roll man in pick-and-roll sets, which ranked among the top 10 of Division I players who had as many opportunities.

Williams took a major leap from his freshman season to his sophomore campaign, almost doubling his scoring average.

With the draft still over two months away, both former Tigers still have an opportunity to climb up boards. The lack of a normal pre-draft process could favor a player like Mays who has four years of experience and film.

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Three LSU basketball players returning for 2020

A trio of important names is returning to LSU basketball for the upcoming season.

On Monday, LSU basketball received word from three of the program’s star players- Javonte Smart, Trendon Watford, and Darius Days- that they would be withdrawing their names from the 2020 NBA draft and returning to the program.

This is huge news for Will Wade’s team going into the 2020-2021 season with a stacked recruiting class. The returning players complete a deep roster for the Tigers.

Smart, a rising junior guard, averaged 12.5 points per game and led the Tigers in assists last season. His return gives the Tigers an extra guard to replace point guard Skylar Mays, who departed due to graduation.

Watford comes in entering his sophomore season after having one of the best seasons ever by a freshman in the SEC. The former five-star recruit led the team in rebounds with 7.2 per game and scored 13.6 points per game, finishing second on the roster behind Mays.

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Days averaged 11.1 points per game last season, finishing fifth on the team in that category. He was the rotational big man with Emmitt Williams, and could likely hold that spot this season.

Wade getting three of his starters back from last season could put the Tigers in a prime position to win the SEC outright this season. Last year, the Tigers went 21-10, and finished tied for second in the conference with a 12-6 record in SEC play.

Wade also brought in the No. 6 nationally ranked recruiting class. The class is led by shooting guard Cameron Thomas and transfers Shareef O’Neal and Josh LeBlanc.

The Tigers were a lock for the NCAA Tournament before the coronavirus pandemic shut down all collegiate sports. Going into the 2020-21 season, LSU hopes for their chance to make another trip to the big dance and make a run at an SEC Championship.

It will be interesting to see just how far the trio of Watford, Smart, and Days can take the Tigers in 2020 along with the newcomers on the roster.

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LSU’s best head coaches of the decade: Will Wade

Leading the Tigers to their first NCAA Tournament in a few seasons has helped Wade become one of the best coaches in the SEC.

Will Wade arrived in Baton Rouge in 2017 to become the new head coach for the LSU Tigers basketball team.

Since joining the program, Wade has accounted for a 64-30 record, leading the Tigers to the NCAA Tournament in 2018-19, and the NIT Tournament during his first season.

The 2020 Tigers team would have made the NCAA Tournament, but the coronavirus pandemic put a halt on collegiate sports just as conference tournaments were starting.

During the 2018-19 season, Wade coached the Tigers to a 25-5 record, including a 15-2 record in the SEC.

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LSU would win the SEC regular season title that year and advance to the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA Tournament.

Wade has coached the likes of Skylar Mays, Emmitt Williams, Marlon Taylor and other great players that the Tigers’ roster has boasted over the past three seasons.

The argument could be made that Johnny Jones may have been the program’s best coach of the decade, and rightfully so. But, what Wade has accomplished in such short time earns him the nod here.

Leading the Tigers to their first NCAA Tournament in a few seasons has helped Wade become one of the best coaches in the SEC.

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Though he has faced scrutiny with a few federal investigations. Wade is determined to take LSU to their first national championship in program history.

In 2018, LSU had the No. 4 recruiting class in the country, and the second best class in the SEC. Heading into 2020, the Tigers currently have the No. 6 ranked class in all of college basketball.

Wade has put the LSU basketball program in a position to win and bring the star players to Baton Rouge to chase championships.

With former LSU legend Shaquille O’Neal’s son Shareef O’Neal, part of the roster now, it will be interesting to see if that commitment from the son of a legend sways future four and five-star recruits to decide to play in Baton Rouge.

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LSU basketball picks up transfer for 2020 season

Former Washington Huskies center Bryan Penn-Johnson announced his transfer to the Tigers for the upcoming season.

The LSU Tigers basketball team picked up a transfer for the 2020 season on Saturday, just days after missing out on Moussa Cisse.

Former Washington Huskies center Bryan Penn-Johnson announced his transfer to the Tigers for the upcoming season.

As a redshirt freshman in 2019, Penn-Johnson scored 11 points with five rebounds and five blocks in 34 total minutes played.

The 7-foot, 245-pound center announced his transfer from Washington in June, and was ranked as the No. 20 center in the nation coming out of high school in 2018.

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He played in a total of six games last season for the Huskies.

The transfer for Penn-Johnson gives Will Wade and the Tigers the big man they have been searching for. During the 2019-2020 season, the Tigers didn’t have a player over 6-foot-9.

Penn-Johnson brings height and versatility to a Tigers team that will be looking to repeat its 21-win season from last year. He will have three years of collegiate basketball left.

The current recruiting class for the Tigers includes shooting guard Cameron Thomas and center Eric Gaines, among other players.

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LSU ranks sixth nationally and third in the SEC in their 2020 recruiting class.

The addition of Penn-Johnson gives the Tigers more options at the center position with Darius Days and Emmitt Williams both likely heading to the NBA.

Should Williams and/or Days decide to return to LSU, that would make for an interesting competition at the position.

Over the offseason, the Tigers added two transfers to their list of players for the upcoming season.

Shareef O’Neal announced his transfer to LSU after leaving UCLA. Small forward Josh LeBlanc is transferring to the Tigers after leaving Georgetown.

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LSU Basketball listed as an 8-seed in ESPN Bracketology

ESPN basketball analyst Joe Lunardi released his 2021 NCAA Bracketology on Wednesday

ESPN basketball analyst Joe Lunardi released his 2021 NCAA Bracketology on Wednesday, and the LSU Tigers were listed as an 8-seed.

The Tigers were a lock for the NCAA Tournament this past March before the coronavirus pandemic shut down collegiate sports.

LSU finished the 2019-2020 season with a 21-10 overall record and a 12-6 record in SEC play, which earned the Tigers a tie for second place with Auburn.

Going into the 2020-2021 season, the Tigers have a stout list of incoming freshmen that can replace the potential lost talent from last year’s team.

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Currently, the Tigers are slated for a match-up against the No. 9 seed Arizona Wildcats. While these projections will change during the season, LSU has something to look forward to heading into next year.

Other teams in the South Region with the Tigers include Baylor, Florida State, Indiana, Texas and Duke.

Lunardi listed seven SEC teams- Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, LSU, Ole Miss and Tennessee- in his latest Bracketology selections for the 2021 NCAA Tournament.

The No. 8 seed would likely put the Tigers at a win total between 19-21 victories, and likely a fourth or fifth place finish in the SEC for the 2020-2021 college basketball season.

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While the Tigers will lose Skylar Mays, Emmitt Williams and Darius Days, head coach Will Wade and staff are awaiting the decision from Marlon Taylor on whether he will return.

Williams and Days can return to the program should they choose to opt out of the NBA Draft.

The Tigers received letters of intent from Cameron Thomas, Mwani Wilkinson, Eric Gaines, Jalen Cook, and Bradley Ezewiro.

LSU also added two transfers in Shareef O’ Neal and Josh LeBlanc. O’Neal transferred from UCLA and is the son of former Tigers basketball star Shaquille O’Neal. LeBlanc is a transfer from Georgetown.

It will be interesting to see how the Tigers’ 2020-2021 season plays out and whether the program can exceed expectations in the SEC and earn a higher seed in the NCAA Tournament.

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Top LSU basketball target Moussa Cisse to announce commitment decision Wednesday

LSU basketball could add another star to its recruiting class Wednesday.

LSU basketball could add another star to its recruiting class Wednesday.

Moussa Cisse, a 6-foot-10, 220-pound center from Lausanne Collegiate School in Memphis, Tenn., announced on Twitter he would be making his commitment decision this week.

Cisse, who is ranked as the No. 9 overall player for the class of 2020, per the 247Sports composite rankings, is the top-ranked player remaining in the class who has not committed.

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Memphis is considered the leader for Cisse as the Tigers rarely let elite talent leave the city, especially since Penny Hardaway returned and took over as head coach.

However, Cisse has maintained a good relationship with several schools, including LSU, throughout his recruiting process. LSU was at one time considered the leader for Cisse, who delayed his decision in the spring.

Cisse, who is from West Africa and reclassified to the 2020 class, has only played one season in the United States.

A commitment from Cisse would be an amazing victory for Wade and his staff who already have the No. 6 overall class in 2020.

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4-star C Frank Anselem includes Georgia basketball in top-three

Georgia basketball made the top-three for 4-star center Frank Anselem.

On Tuesday night, 4-star center Frank Anselem released his top-three schools.

The 6-foot-10, 220-pound big man narrowed his list down to Georgia, LSU and Alabama.

Anselem, a Georgia native, currently attends Prolific Prep in Napa, California.

He also announced on Twitter that he will be reclassifying from 2021 to 2020. Prior to reclassifying, Anselem was rated as the 76th overall prospect in the 2021 class, per the 247Sports Composite Rankings. Where he will rank among the 2020 class is unknown yet but he should remain as a top-100 player in the country.

Anselem’s reclassifying announcement:

Anselem’s top-three announcement:

2020 NCAA Tournament Sim: West Region, Sweet Sixteen

Who makes it to the Elite Eight from out West?

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2020 NCAA Tournament Sim: West Region, Sweet Sixteen

Who from the West will advance?

Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire

Oregon, LSU, Seton Hall, Texas Tech

The West Region is up next out in the Staple Centers and only one West Coast team is playing here with No. 4 seed Oregon. Another quirk is that the top two seeds have already been knocked out with Seton Hall as the top seed.

As a reminder, we are simulating these games over at What If Sports and are doing just like the NCAA Tournament, one loss and you’re out.

Final Score: No. 4 Oregon 94, No. 8 LSU 93

This game ended up being one of the more exciting game to date in the NCAA Tournament with nearly each team scoring triple-digits. Oregon’s final two shots were huge with a three-pointer by Chris Duarte to tie the game with 13 seconds left to tie the game.

Skylar Mays made a pair of free throws but the final shot came as the buzzer sounded with Payton Pritchard. Those two combined for 54 points and over half of what the Ducks put up.

 

Final Score: No. 3 Seton Hall 83, No. 10 Texas Tech 74

Myles Powell led the way for the Pirates with 33 points including converting 6 of 11 from three-point range. This game was a slow burn for Seton Hall up until they went on a 17-4 run in the middle of the second half to pull away and pull away for good to reach the Elite Eight for the first time since 1991.

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Badger moments: 2000 Sweet 16 wipeout of LSU

Dick Bennett held a clinic

In the Wisconsin Badgers’ march to the 2000 Final Four, Dick Bennett went up against several great coaches. The exception was the 2000 Sweet 16 in the West Regional semifinals in Albuquerque.

John Brady of LSU was not a bad coach. He lasted over 10 years at LSU and did reach the 2006 Final Four with the Tigers. He was competent. Not every coach is. Yet, while being competent on a basic level, Brady was just as surely not an especially gifted bench boss. Even his best LSU teams — such as that 2006 Final Four group — were not seeded higher than number four in the NCAA Tournament. Brady recruited well and got his players to perform with energy and hunger, which enabled him to carve out a reasonably successful career. However, as a tactician, he fell well short.

Strong tactical coaches could — and did — expose him. This was a gift Wisconsin made full use of in the 2000 West Regional semis.

LSU, seeded fourth that year, had Stromile Swift, a big and strong physical specimen who, a few months later, would become the No. 2 pick in the 2000 NBA Draft. He went to the Vancouver Grizzlies after Kenyon Martin of the Cincinnati Bearcats went No. 1 to the then-New Jersey (now Brooklyn) Nets.

Wisconsin did not have any player who could measure up to Stromile Swift in terms of athleticism. The Badgers needed to be in the right positions on the floor to contain him. Wisconsin needed a cohesive defensive plan and the smarts to implement it.

Dick Bennett made sure his team was prepared.

Wisconsin made only 38 percent of its field goals against LSU. It hit just 6 of 19 threes. UW’s starting five scored a grand total of 42 points. Only one player — Jon Bryant — scored more than eight points for the Badgers.

If you had been told these statistics would be part of Wisconsin’s box score at the end of the game, you would have assumed a loss.

The Badgers won by 13, 61-48.

How fully did UW flummox Stromile Swift? His number of made field goals was the same as his number of turnovers: 3.

How completely did Wisconsin confuse and throttle LSU’s offense? The Tigers committed six more turnovers (23) than their number of made field goals (17).

Bennett outflanked Brady at every turn. LSU scored just 14 points in the first half and desperately scrambled in the second half in an attempt to rally, but LSU’s impatience kept leading to bad possessions for the Tigers, who kept falling deeper and deeper into the quicksand the Badgers laid in front of them.

LSU had the athletes. Wisconsin had the well-coached and cohesive team. The Badgers moved one step closer to a Cinderella Final Four as a No. 8 seed.