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Who: Northwestern State Demons (1-0) @ LSU Tigers (0-1)
When: Saturday, Nov 16th 7:00pm (ct)
Where: Pete Maravich Assembly Center (13,215, 47th largest D1)
How: 98.1FM, GeauxZone

After LSU’s opening season loss to UMASS, the Tiger’s look to bounce back in their home opener against instate Northwestern State. The Demons gave LSU a battle last season falling just short 95 to 102. LSU struggled to stop Northwestern’s post play with 6’7” DeQuan Hicks (returning) scoring 28 and 6’8” James Hublin (graduated) scoring 29. Anthony Hickey was able to score 21 but was notched out by Shavon Coleman who scored 22 points in the victory.

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Northwestern St takes on Auburn Friday night before a quick turnaround playing the Tigers, however, similar to LSU they play enough people to keep fresh. In their first game of the season, the Demon’s played 10 players fourteen minutes or more. They also shot an astonishing 86% free throw percentage(30/35). However, a hole in their game seems evident as the Demon’s missed all 17 of their three point attempts.

Northwestern State plays fast. How fast? Well, they were 2nd fastest in the NCAA last season. They averaged only 14.8 seconds per possession. LSU averaged 17.3 seconds per possession. It will be important for LSU to recognize that and get back on defense. Whether it’s after a long rebound or after a made basket, Northwestern State will try and catch LSU out of position.

6’8” Marvin Frazier was able to protect the lane for the Demon’s similar to LSU’s Jordan Mickey with 9 rebounds and 7 blocks. It will be interesting to see if the Demon’s can beat the Auburn Tigers Friday night. Either way, Northwestern State will be a test for the Tigers.

Keys to the game:

Foul Trouble
Obvious? Sure. Important? Immensely. LSU committed 29 fouls in their first game. Northwestern St forced 27 themselves. Add on the fact that the Demon’s are a very good free throw shooting team, and this may be the way Northwestern State can pull the upset.

Win the Turnover Battle
In last season’s game, both teams committed 21 turnovers. LSU will need to protect the ball while figuring out how to take it away from Northwestern without fouling. Hickey and Malik Morgan both had 5 steals in last year’s contest.

Johnny O’Bryant
In last season’s contest, O’Bryant only played 19 minutes before fouling out. The pace forced him to make too many fouls. He will be LSU’s biggest advantage as long as he keeps his head in the game and hustles. No fouls around the perimeter JOB! It would also help if he could clean up some turnover issues he has displayed early this season.

Prediction:
LSU 99, Northwestern St 74

Filed Under: LSU Basketball

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Comments

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PiscesTiger

LOVING this team and they're 0-1!!!!!!

Sweet 16 bound!

Reply•121 months

Tiger Ugly

Thanks as always SOS. I see Northwestern hammered Auburn. That is bad for the SEC and therefore for us in terms of what we'll need to get into the dance.

The Demons like to run as usual and that's good for us.

For me the most important thing for us is for Coach Jones to get a feel for his players i.e. who to play when and establishing roles.

I think we saw a bit of that come to the fore with Quarterman inserted in when we cut the lead to 1 at UMASS and having a bit of the brook trout look and having 2 or 3 tough possessions in a row.

While the OOC schedule does us few favors in terms of style points for post season it will allow Johnny to define roles and establish the best rotation to best maximize the talent...and we do have that.

Tigers 98-83.

Reply•121 months

LSUzealot

quote:
For me the most important thing for us is for Coach Jones to get a feel for his players i.e. who to play when and establishing roles.

wasn't that one of your criticisms of Jones last year? his rotations were poor at times?

121 months

thunderbird1100

I may have missed it, but why is Quarterman starting over Hickey again? I just assumed disciplinary stuff first game.

Reply•121 months

Britgirl

quote:
t why is Quarterman starting over Hickey again? I just assumed disciplinary stuff first game.

Not disciplinary at all.
Quarterman has been practicing with the "1st team" for most, if not all, full practices. It's my belief that this is to bring him and JJ's other recruits along as much as possible, to play the game he wants played. Coaches intended this. They like Quarterman's personality also. He's young, new and maleable.
Anthony has kind of a chip on his shoulder that doesn't endear him to his coaches.
However, he was given the task of teaching the offenses/defense to the "2nd string" - Malone, Hammink, Odo, Morgan, Hornsby (red-shirted) and the walk-ons.

I watched some scrimmages they had against each other. Intensely competitive and the 2nd team won some of those games.
John Odo, grinning as always, told me they won with their defense.

I think you'll see Anthony coming off the bench a lot as a spark plug, and he'll get a lot of minutes. He also might start sometimes, but it'll be down to a questions of match-ups each game.
We have that luxury this season - yay!

121 months

lwlsu96

quote:
I may have missed it, but why is Quarterman starting over Hickey again? I just assumed disciplinary stuff first game.

This is one possible answer. One of my guesses is that Johnny used the "you'll come in and start right away" pitch to Mickey, Martin, and Quarterman. He could just be fulfilling a promise made in the recruiting process, but I doubt this rotation will last going into the Old Spice Classic

121 months

Tom Bronco

Agree about JOB. He always seems to have one ill advised foul out on the perimeter. Considering how valuable he is to our effort, he needs to be smarter on fouls. And yes, he still tries to dribble too much and loses the ball but he also is getting through those double teams more consistently and scoring.

Reply•121 months

LSUzealot

I'm ready to see Mickey swat DeQuan's shite in the 3rd row. He won't make it to 20 tomorrow.

Reply•121 months

Ignignot

quote:
I'm ready to see Mickey swat DeQuan's shite in the 3rd row. He won't make it to 20 tomorrow.

:dude:

I'll be up in 318 next to 2335, if he comes, jackass is thinking about going to the SELU game instead.

121 months

tigers32

That block in the UMASS game was magical.

121 months

oauron

quote:
SouthOfSouth

You bringing back the SoS rating?

Reply•121 months

nosaj

I'm so torn! lol

Fork Em Demons and Geaux Tigers!

121 months

T1gerWonder

:geauxtigers: I will be there

Reply•121 months

TDsngumbo

:geauxtigers:

Reply•121 months

oauron

Would love to have Jarell for this game, but happy to be in the PMAC. JOB should have a huge game against their center.

Reply•121 months

MintBerry Crunch

ForkEm Demons

Also, Geaux Tigers.

LSU 96 NSU 83

Reply•121 months

tigers32

Good write-up as always South. I'm surprised Northwestern St. has to play at Auburn then turnaround and come to Baton Rouge the next night. Should be an advantage for LSU.

I hate that Martin probably won't play in this game. It would've been great for him to get some real game minutes against our next few opponents before heading to Orlando.

Reply•121 months

SouthOfSouth

Martin will not play.

I am pretty confident we will see Malone though. Should be a fun game.

121 months