Tag: xavier pinson

LSU basketball transfer portal tracker: Who have the Tigers lost, gained this offseason?

Here’s every player who has left and joined LSU’s basketball program via the transfer portal this offseason.

It’s certainly shaping up to be a transitional offseason in Baton Rouge. Before LSU was eliminated in the NCAA Tournament by Iowa State in the first round, the program chose to fire men’s basketball coach [autotag]Will Wade[/autotag] after he was cited by the NCAA as part of its ongoing investigation.

College sports have now entered the transfer portal era. Players are now permitted to transfer without consequence, and whenever there’s a coaching change, you can expect that at least some roster attrition will follow.

That has been the case for LSU, which has already seen a number of players elect to transfer in the wake of Wade’s firing and the subsequent hiring of [autotag]Matt McMahon[/autotag] from Murray State. The Tigers have already brought in one of McMahon’s former Racers players, and more are likely to follow.

Here’s a rundown of each player LSU has lost and gained in the transfer portal. We’ll update this list as more decisions are made.

Report: LSU forward Shareef O’Neal enters transfer portal

The LSU legacy is heading to his third school.

The Tigers saw yet another departure from the program on Tuesday, as junior forward [autotag]Shareef O’Neal[/autotag] entered the transfer portal. His decision was first reported by Stadium’s Jeff Goodman.

O’Neal is the son of former LSU and NBA legend [autotag]Shaquille O’Neal[/autotag], who was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016. The younger O’Neal was a reserve player for the Tigers in 2021-22, averaging less than 10 minutes per game with 2.9 points and 2.1 rebounds.

He saw just five minutes in LSU’s first-round NCAA Tournament loss to Iowa State, registering a rebound and a turnover. He missed his only attempt from the field and was held off the scoreboard.

O’Neal is a native of Los Angeles, and the former four-star recruit and top-50 prospect in the 2018 recruiting class originally signed with nearby UCLA. However, after appearing in just 13 games with the Bruins as a true freshman and averaging 2.2 points per game, he opted to transfer.

In heading to his father’s alma mater, he hoped to see an increased role. However, that never really materialized. He appeared in just 24 games in two seasons with the Tigers, and he never started a game during his time in Baton Rouge.

LSU has now seen three players enter the transfer portal since coach [autotag]Will Wade[/autotag] was fired ahead of the NCAA Tournament. Guards [autotag]Brandon Murray[/autotag] and [autotag]Xavier Pinson[/autotag] also opted to transfer, while all three commits in 2022 and the lone commit in 2023 have decommitted.

New coach [autotag]Matt McMahon[/autotag] will certainly have his hands full rebuilding this roster.

O’Neal will enter the 2022-23 season as a senior, but he’ll have two remaining years of eligibility as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. He’ll hope the next stop is the one where he can become a true-difference maker.

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5 names Dana Altman and the Ducks should pursue in the transfer portal

The Oregon Ducks roster is currently in flux, but should they pursue the transfer portal here are five early names to consider.

Dana Altman and the Oregon Ducks are heading into an offseason with a lot of uncertainty surrounding the current roster. Today’s transfer portal era, along with the added year of eligibility for many players due to COVID-19, makes it very difficult to get a sense of what next year’s roster will look like.

Is Will Richardson going to return for one more go-round in Eugene? Will N’Faly Dante test out the draft waters? Will transfer talents like De’Vion Harmon and Quincy Guerrier look elsewhere after missing out on the NCAA Tournament? What about bench players like Franck Kepnang, Rivaldo Soares, and Nate Bittle?

At this point, the only roster change known for coach Altman’s squad is that  big man Isaac Johnson has entered his name into the transfer portal. Until there is a firm update on guys like Richardson, Dante and others, it will be hard for this team to seriously investigate the talent available on the transfer portal.

However, the Ducks could absolutely use the portal to their advantage again this offseason, like they’ve done with guys like Harmon and Guerrier.

So, while we don’t know exactly where Oregon’s needs will be next season – and we’ve only seen a small handful of players enter the portal – this is far from a comprehensive list of players Oregon could try to get in the green and yellow next year.

Instead, this is just a look at one player at each position who would be a good fit in Eugene next year – should Altman and company have a need at that spot:

LSU star Tari Eason declares for 2022 NBA draft

Eason led the Tigers with 16.9 points per game in 2021-22.

In a move that was widely anticipated, star LSU forward [autotag]Tari Eason[/autotag] announced on Friday that he will forego his final two seasons of college eligibility and enter the 2022 NBA draft.

Eason is commonly projected to be a first-round pick in June’s draft, where he is mocked as high as the late lottery selections. He announced his decision in a post on Twitter.

“I’m grateful for so much,” he wrote. “To my LSU guys, for every drop of blood and sweat and for being at my side for the daily grind: I appreciate you! I learned so much from y’all, you’re my brothers now. To my coaches, for pushing me and showing me hot to be better on and off the court: I appreciate you. Thank you LSU for taking a chance on an unknown kid! And to the fans who laced ’em up with me every fame: I appreciate you!!!”

A transfer from Cincinnati, Eason averaged just 7.3 points and 5.9 rebounds as a freshman with the Bearcats last season, but he exploded onto the national radar this season. He led LSU with 16.9 points per game, and he was named the SEC’s Sixth Man of the Year as well as being a semifinalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year.

Eason helped guide the Tigers to a 12-0 start to the season but after a mediocre finish in which they were eliminated in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in an upset, coach [autotag]Will Wade[/autotag] was fired.

Eason becomes the latest key contributor to depart in the wake of that, as guards [autotag]Brandon Murray[/autotag] and [autotag]Xavier Pinson[/autotag] entered the transfer portal on Thursday. Eason’s departure to the NBA likely would have happened regardless, though.

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LSU’s Xavier Pinson becomes next Tigers player to enter transfer portal

The Tigers have lost their starting backcourt duo from this past season to the transfer portal.

LSU continues to hemorrhage players in the wake of coach Will Wade’s firing. The Tigers lost every commit in both the 2022 and 2023 recruiting classes, and guard [autotag]Brandon Murray[/autotag] entered the transfer portal.

Now, LSU has another loss to replace as point guard [autotag]Xavier Pinson[/autotag] also entered the transfer portal on Thursday. Pinson is back in the portal after arriving in Baton Rouge this season as a transfer from Missouri.

In his lone season with the Tigers, Pinson started 27 of the 28 games he appeared in while averaging 9.8 points and 4.8 assists. Pinson is a senior but will use his one remaining year of eligibility due to COVID-19 elsewhere.

With the losses of Murray and Pinson, LSU now has to replace its entire starting backcourt. The Tigers will almost certainly have to hit the portal aggressively themselves, as their two signees in [autotag]Julian Phillips[/autotag] and [autotag]Devin Ree[/autotag] were released from their letters of intent, while hard commit [autotag]Yohan Traore[/autotag] backed off his pledge, too.

LSU also lost the commitment of its lone 2023 pledge, five-star point guard [autotag]Marvel Allen[/autotag].

Between the roster attrition and potential looming sanctions from the NCAA, this is certainly not an easy situation for new head coach [autotag]Matt McMahon[/autotag] to walk into. His first priority will be to simply fill out a roster that has taken major losses in the week since the offseason began.

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LSU vs. the World: How Tigers players are mentally preparing for tournament run

The Tigers players aren’t phased by the “dark cloud” surrounding the team entering the NCAA Tournament.

Let the madness begin.

On Friday at 6:20 p.m. CT, the LSU Tigers will tip-off against the Iowa State Cyclones in Round 1 of the NCAA Tournament.

There has been a lot of noise surrounding the program lately with the firing of former head coach Will Wade a week before the tournament started. A lot of questions have been posed about how this team would respond to the adversity that they faced heading into a game against a good Iowa State squad.

That’s not a concern for the team, though, senior forward Darius Days said.

“A lot of people may feel there’s a dark cloud around LSU basketball and that’s how it’s been since I got there,” Days said, per Sports Illustrated’s Glen West. “We had a couple of shirts made ‘LSU vs. the World’ so at all times that’s how we feel.

“I feel pretty confident in the team, been working hard and not letting the distractions keep us away from our goal, winning a national championship. We’ve been locked in with each other, leaning on each other but we’re gonna on alright.”

Star forward Tari Eason, one of the top players in all of college basketball, concurred.

“We had meetings before the season on how to make us tight, a close knit group so I think when adversity hits, the best thing about this team is we only get stronger,” Eason said. “This week has been a little hectic with the new changes to the staff but I feel like everybody’s doing their part to step up. The assistant coaches, the players, we’re all trying to step up and rally together to make this a special run.”

Kevin Nickelberry was named the interim head coach after Wade was fired and he made it a priority to sit down and speak with the guys about how some things have changed while others remain the same. The team has adopted the mantra of  ‘LSU vs. The World’ because that is how the team views this possible run in March Madness.

Point guard Xavier Pinson elaborated on what the message has been from the coaching staff during this tumultuous time.

“The message has been just to play basketball,” Pinson said. “We can only control what we can control, we’re players so we keep the same goals and objectives.”

There may be a “dark cloud” surrounding the LSU program from the outside looking in, but from the players’ perspective, they are ready to go to war.

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LSU survives overtime against Alabama, who stood out for the Tigers?

Which LSU Tigers stood out in the win over Alabama.

Alabama and LSU have dolled out a couple of thrillers over the last couple of years. It’s a rivalry that delivered again on Saturday with LSU finally coming out on top, 80-77.

LSU couldn’t have asked for much of a better start. There was no 11 AM lull as it came out of the gates buzzing in front of a loud crowd.

Alabama then settled in, and LSU had some trouble defending the three-ball. It didn’t last long, as the Crimson Tide went cold, allowing LSU to pull in front again.

The final minutes of the first half went back and forth with Alabama throwing in a final-second dunk to take a small lead into halftime.

The second half, much like the first, saw LSU and Alabama trading bullets. Around the 4:30 mark, Tari Eason hit two free throws to tie it at 64.

Some moments later, Eason found Days down low, putting LSU up two. That was followed by a Brandon Murray fast-break dunk, making it 68-64 LSU.

Tied at 70 with a minute left, LSU found the basket. Alabama followed that up with an illegal screen on the ensuing possession, giving LSU the ball right back.

A wild final minute sent the game to overtime, where it didn’t slow down. The five-minute overtime period resembled the first 40 minutes.

LSU came out on top and got one of its biggest wins of the year to head into the SEC tournament.

Here are three Tigers that stood out on Saturday.

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LSU falls short against red-hot Arkansas in Fayetteville

The Tigers missed another opportunity for a key Quadrant 1 win on the road on Wednesday night.

In what was a very heated and entertaining game in Fayetteville, Arkansas, on Wednesday night, LSU came up one shot short of a victory over the Arkansas Razorbacks.

The Tigers started off strong shooting, 41% in the first half in what was a 35-35 tie at the break with a Razorbacks team that has won 14 of their last 15 games. But coach Will Wade’s squad couldn’t hold on to a late lead, falling 77-76 at Bud Walton Arena.

The Hogs only shot 38% in the first half and LSU outrebounded Arkansas 20-18 and both teams finished with seven turnovers. The second half started off as hot as the first half with LSU scoring the first seven points thanks to Brandon Murray and Darius Days.

After LSU’s hot start, though, Arkansas came fighting back and cut the lead down to one with 13:56 remaining in the game. The lead would proceed to switch back and forth multiple times until LSU went on a six-point run to make the score 63-56 with 6:31 left in the game.

That is as big of a lead as anyone would get for the rest of the game as it came down to the wire. Reminiscent of a heavyweight boxing match, both teams would trade blows for the final six minutes of the ballgame to try and come out on top.

LSU took the lead with 9:22 left and held onto it until Arkansas scored with 1:13 left. The Tigers responded to that score with a layup from Xavier Pinson to re-take the lead with 52 seconds left. Then, it was as if LSU pressed the touchpad on their Playstation controller to intentionally foul someone.

The Tigers fouled Arkansas twice in the final 46 seconds. Arkansas made 3 of 4 free throws to take a one-point lead with eight seconds left. Coach Will Wade decided not to use his final timeout as the Tigers inbounded the ball to Pinson who ran the length of the floor and attempted a layup with two seconds left, but the shot was off the mark, securing the Arkansas win.

LSU finished the game shooting 36% from the field and 21% from three-point range. The Tigers only had 10 turnovers while forcing 12 from Arkansas, and they outrebounded the Hogs 43-34, grabbing 22 offensive rebounds to Arkansas 10.

Tari Eason led the Tigers in scoring with 24 points on 14 attempts. He went 10 for 10 from the charity stripe. Darius Days was the second-highest scorer with 19 points on 12 attempts.

LSU will play its final regular-season game this Saturday against a struggling Alabama team. Tip-off is scheduled for 11 a.m CST.

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Where LSU stands in latest bracket projections

LSU sees some variance in its bracket projections after the win over Missouri on Saturday.

LSU’s seeding projections have been all over the map this season. This was once a team that looked like a potential top four seed after the Tigers carried a one-loss record into mid-January.

Things are a little different now after a month and change of struggles.

LSU took care of business against Missouri on Saturday, as it should have. It got it to its 20th win of the year and to .500 in conference play.

CBS Sports’ updated bracket projections on Sunday morning had LSU slated as a seven seed. ESPN’s most recent projections have them just a tad higher, as a six.

TeamRankings, which publishes predictions that are computer-generated, has LSU most likely being an eight seed. These rankings factor in the upcoming schedule, where LSU doesn’t have the easiest path.

Before the conference tournament begins, LSU will have to play Arkansas and Alabama, two squads that have already beaten the Tigers once this year.

While LSU will be in the tournament no matter what at this point, being able to go at least 1-1 in the final two games of the regular season gives the Tigers a shot of really improving their seeding.

After Saturday, LSU sits 27th in ESPN’s strength of record. That’s a good indicator of how a team has fared against the schedule it has played. A seven or eight seed is about right for a team that sits outside the top 25 in SOR.

That’s the benefit of the tough road ahead, though. Sure, they’re tougher games. But winning those types of games is exactly what this team needs to do to improve its seeding.

Every year, a few teams go on a run in their conference tournaments and drastically better their position compared to what it was the week prior. This LSU team is inconsistent, but they’re certainly capable of stringing together one of those runs. At the same time, anyone could beat them in the first round in Tampa at the SEC Tournament.

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Another tough road loss for LSU as they fall 77-75 to South Carolina

LSU falls short to South Carolina on the road.

Just when it looked like things were getting better, they took a turn. It was a bad day for LSU in Columbia, South Carolina.

LSU got out in front in the first half thanks to Darius Days and Tari Eason leading the scoring charge.

In the first half, Days and Eason combined for 24 points and eight rebounds. Most of Days’ points in the half came from behind the arch, where he was three of five.

There was a worrisome moment in the first half where Xavier Pinson lost his footing and was slow to get up with a knee injury. Pinson’s absence earlier in the season showed he’s a critical element of this team. The team received positive news as Pinson shortly returned to the game.

South Carolina was able to go on a run to close out the half thanks to an offensive explosion from Jermaine Cousinard, who went into the locker room with 18 points.

South Carolina came out of halftime with some of that momentum, but LSU eventually regained control.

That didn’t last for long as it became a back-and-forth shootout.

Eason and Days continued to lead the way for LSU but Jermaine Cousinard remained hot for South Carolina.

It all came down to the final seconds when LSU got the ball back down one. Pinson dribbled around, but the Gamecocks played solid defense, forcing a kick out to Days.

Days took the corner three but missed.

South Carolina got the rebound with enough time for LSU to foul. South Carolina made one of two from the line and gave LSU the ball back down two with 1.5 seconds.

Inbounding from under their own basket, LSU wasn’t able to do anything with it.

This is a bad loss for an LSU team that looked like it was gaining some momentum again. South Carolina is a decent team. They’re in the top 100. And yes, this game was on the road, but it still hurts in the grand scheme of things. Until this point, South Carolina’s best win was against UAB.

LSU turned the ball over too much, didn’t make enough free throws, and blew more than one double-digit lead.

LSU is still bound for the NCAA tournament but they are slipping closer to a No. 8 seed than to the top four seed they once looked like.

Next up is a road trip to Kentucky in what could be LSU’s toughest game of the year.