re: LSU 97, Alabama 94 - Recap

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- Hickey was no doubt the spark plug to the comeback in the last couple of minutes. I was really surprised that Jones held him out as long as he did in the second half, but the timing seemed to work perfectly.

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Coach said it wasn't disciplinary, but there was an obvious tuffle between the two if you were watching. Hickey wanted in much earlier. I didn't think he was gonna get off the bench for the rest of the game, but I was happy he did.

I agree that JOB did great with the double team as the game went by and that bringing in the slashing players was a major benefit for JOB.

LSU definitely packs in and allows teams to shoot the three. It's crazy that LSU's 3 pt % defense is second in the SEC because I do think they leave too many people open.

Great game it was the first one of the year for me being I live 3 1/2 hours away its hard for me to make down there, I wish they had more noon games on Saturday

Can somebody explain to me why the SEC stats show a total of 1 more win than losses? dosn't seem possible.

You the Man

SoS, I went over to the ColleyMatrix site and entered in hypothetical wins vs Arkansas, Missouri, Texas A&M and Ole Miss.

We moved up from 84 to 52 in that poll.

How much of a jump would we expect to make in the RPI if we win out; beating A&M and Missouri on the road?

60s?

Lunardi, btw, had Arkansas as a last 8 out. If we finished 11-3 our last 14, I'd think we would start to get some consideration for a NCAAT bid. If we get a 6th seed or better (SECT) and go 2-1 there to finish 22-10, I think we could sneak in as a 13 seed.

We really need to finish in the Top 60 in RPI though; a 7-1 from here on out might do it.

Thoughts?

I couldn't imagine a scenario where LSU would make it, but winning out and making it to the SEC tournament would be making a hard case for LSU. I think it would be possible. I've started seeing some national guys saying that LSU has been playing good ball. I expected our RPI to end up around 80 at the beginning of hte year, but winning out would probably bring our RPI up a pretty good bit. I know Arkansas has some good wins at home which really covers up their poor 1-6 record on road in SEC.

Mizzou on the road would be the game that starts to get LSU recognized. We'd probably want Ole Miss to keep winning if we were looking for NCAA tournament.

Its a really tough thing, because up to this point LSU doesn't deserve to be in the dance. Wins against Auburn and SC at home would have changed my mindset, but at this point I don't think they will let us in, even if we finished super hot.

I don't think we win out (minus SEC Championship), but if we did I'd say about 25% chance. This site says similar:

LINK

It has LSU's chances at 23% if they win out minus SEC Champ. SEC wins just don't hold very much weight because everyone thinks the league sucks (good reason to think so).

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Found out some more info on these discipline suspensions that we've had a few of this year. I can't say much because people's jobs are at stake because they weren't supposed to tell me anything, but I will say it's nothing major, and no one should be worried about the players that have been involved getting kicked off the team or anything.

(You can read that as it's not weed and it's not actual class grades).

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It's been pretty obvious now that Coach Jones wants to run a very clean program. The length of the suspensions have made it pretty clear IMO that it was simply not following team rules and nothing major.

The timing of Hickeys looked like it could be grades, but looking at everything that has been involved, it seems to me that Jones just wants everyone to buy into what he's selling. If not, you can leave.

I think it has proved to be a winning formula, and the faster the players buy in, the better our future looks. I don't think anyone was worried about these players getting removed from the team though.

I heard mumbling about weed with the Hickey suspension (it was put to bed after he came back though). But Hickey wasn't grades either, I posted that so if it happens again (which I doubt) that it's nothing major they are doing, just something Coach Jones doesn't like or tolerate.

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I don't think we win out (minus SEC Championship), but if we did I'd say about 25% chance. This site says similar:

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Maybe my thinking is out of line, but I think a realistic, albeit slightly unlikely conclusion to the season is for LSU to finish 3-1 and lose in the semis or finals of the SEC tourney. I think if they go 3-1 and lose in the finals, they'd have a strong case to make the Big Dance, although certainly no guarantee. If that was the case, they'd have a ridiculous end of season record and be one of the hotter teams in the country and definitely peeking at the right time. What say you SoS and others? Is this unreasonable.

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Maybe my thinking is out of line, but I think a realistic, albeit slightly unlikely conclusion to the season is for LSU to finish 3-1 and lose in the semis or finals of the SEC tourney. I think if they go 3-1 and lose in the finals, they'd have a strong case to make the Big Dance, although certainly no guarantee. If that was the case, they'd have a ridiculous end of season record and be one of the hotter teams in the country and definitely peeking at the right time. What say you SoS and others? Is this unreasonable.

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This year, the SEC is so badly looked at that the only team that would give LSU a "Quality win" would be Florida. I truly think people need to lower their expectations on NCAA Tourney. While I think it is very possible for LSU to go 3-1 to finish the regular season and possibly make the finals, I don't think that would be enough.

The SEC will most likely only have 2 MAYBE 3 bids. LSU wont finish in the top 4 so I don't see us getting a bid. Seton Hall has fallen off pretty good in Big East play (2-13) which really doesn't leave us with any quality wins.