Hoops: LSU 68 vs Texas A&M 49 - FINAL!!! TIGERS WINNNN

Who: Texas A&M Aggies
When: Wednesday, February 26 - 7:00pm
Where: Pete Maravich Assembly Center
How: TV:SECTV, Radio:98.1FM, Stream:ESPN3.com
Promo: The first 2,500 fans will receive binoculars with the LSU logo. Pete Rabbit, the Bucket Drummer, will be the halftime entertainment (See video below).


SECTV Affiliates

After failing to convert the last shot in Kentucky, LSU comes home with a bit of a chip on their shoulder. The Tigers went on the road and played their best game of the season. Now they head home for a revenge match against Texas A&M. In the first meeting LSU allowed 7 Aggies to score 8 or more points. The Aggies made 10 of 23 three point attempts and outrebounded the Tigers by 7. That can't happen at home.

Texas A&M has the #1 perimeter defense in the SEC allowing only 27.4% on three pointers. They are 2nd in conference in defensive efficiency with .989 pts allowed per possession. Unfortunately for them, their offense is worst in the SEC with only .943 points per possession in SEC play. LSU has scored 1.073 points per possession (5th) but have allowed 107.3 points per possession (9th).

LSU also currently boasts the fastest tempo in the SEC. The Tigers are averaging 71 possessions per game in SEC play, while A&M plays a slow 63.1 possessions per game. Look for LSU to try and push the tempo at home against a slow paced team.

LSU will likely stay with the same starting lineup that they have used recently going with Hickey, Coleman, Martin, Mickey, and O'Bryant. Texas A&M will counter with a long lineup of their own. No starter is shorter than 6'4" for the Aggies. That length really affected Andre Stringer in their first meeting. He was 0/4 from the three point line and scored only 2 total points.

Keys to the Game:

Offensive Rebounding In the first meeting, LSU only pulled down 9 offensive rebounds. LSU averages getting 36.8% of their misses but only managed to get 25% against the Aggies. Offensive boards are instant offense. Look for Martin to get involved on the offensive glass.

No Easy Points A&M has one of the worst offenses in the SEC. LSU cannot allow them to get easy baskets. In their first meeting, LSU gave up way too many wide open shots and the Aggies hit them. They have only scored over 70 points in regulation 3 times this season (one against LSU) and LSU cannot allow that to happen.

Go for the Jugular You can't let Texas A&M hang around. If LSU gets a big lead, they cannot let Texas A&M hang around like they have all season to inferior competition. LSU has to get the killer instinct to finish off opponents. It has to start right here.

Prediction:
LSU 74, Texas A&M 59