LSU BASKETBALL RETURNS TO ACTION

 12/16/2019
By: Terrill J. Weil
​Da Boot Sports!



       BATON ROUGE:  Excitement is at an all-time high right now for every LSU Fighting Tigers fan. Our football team captured the SEC Championship and is ranked #1 in the nation with a 13-0 record. They are in the College Football Playoffs for the first time in school history, and a heavy favorite to advance to, and win the National Championship. Our star, record setting quarterback, Joe Burrow has just won multiple awards, including the Heisman Trophy. Many of us have needed to replenish our kleenex supply after his emotional Heisman speech. When Christmas Eve arrives next week,  several will be nestled in their beds, with visions of Peach Bowl tickets dancing in their heads. Yes, what a wonderful time to be a Tiger fan on the bayou. 
      However, I'm here to remind everyone that it is also college basketball season.  Will Wade, once again, has assembled a pretty impressive group of young men.  The Tigers, (7-2) return to action this Wednesday night at 6pm, as they host East Tennessee State in the PMAC.  The team hasn't played since their 109-59 victory against Northwestern State on December 8th, as they took a break in the schedule for exams.   Coach Wade addressed the media earlier today...   "Big week ahead, it starts with East Tennessee, very very good ball club. They are 8-2 on the year. One of their losses was at Kansas. They're an elite, elite offensive team. They have one of the top 35 offenses in the entire country. They are very efficient and they shoot it well from three.  It's gunna be a big big challenge for us. A chance for us to enhance our resume. We got to get off to faster starts.  Got to get off to a much better start against them, then we have been getting off to. We can't dig ourselves holes.  We have practiced well and we're getting better."  Wade continued to touch on the team's slow starts.  "We're not as locked in mentally and as focused mentally as we need to. We give up way too many easy baskets. We need to be more locked into our game plan and execute it for a full 40 minutes. We got to take the next step and play complete games. That means execute, being focused, being locked in with our attention to detail. Beginning, middle, end. That's from the jump to the last  possession. Every possession matters." 
      Coach Wade also mentioned that they are expecting Marlon Taylor to return tomorrow, and should see limited minutes on Wednesday. The team has been working hard on cutting down on the turnovers and screening harder.   Defensively, they have been practicing some new wrinkles, full & half court to try forcing more turnovers.  Offensively the Tigers are in the top ten in several categories, as all five starters average double digits a game.  This LSU basketball team has very good players. Very talented. When it all finally comes together, they have an opportunity to have a special season.  So please go out and buy your tickets for Wednesday night and pack the PMAC.  


12-16-19
By: Terrill J. Weil
Da Boot Sports!