I want you to be right. I hoped the for the same thing before the season. But after watching them play thus far it's really hard to say that is the case.

quote:
I feel our guards are more competent this year,

Right now you have Hannibal, who is still the same player he was last year. Wilkinson, who is the same player he's always been. Williams has shown some unexpected flashes, but he's been very inconsistent. Can you really say he is better than Hayes was last year? Wright has, unfortunately, slid directly into the Adam Miller role. A guy who was looked upon to be the bell-cow of the backcourt, and one who is shooting like he is, but isn't producing. Wright is leading the team in FG attempts. He's also near the bottom in FG% and 3 point %. Not unlike Miller was last season. Stewart had taken the Juice Williams role. Highly productive at a mid-major program. Largely non-existent (thus far) at LSU.

In the frontcourt Reed has shown some improvement. But he's still equally as apt to go off for a big night as he is completely disappear. McMahon is FINALLY playing Ward (something he inexplicably didn't do last season) which has proven to be beneficial. Fountain is still Fountain. A high effort guy whose ceiling is limited.

Unfortunately, the biggest difference is KJ compared to Baker. While both possess somewhat similar skill-sets, KJ was almost never taken out of a game. If LSU needed a bucket they at least knew they had a guy who could get one. Baker has had some good games thus far. But he's also had some games where he's been completely eliminated. (2 points vs. Nichols) and 3 vs. Syracuse. And LSU has yet to really play opponents with stout frontcourts. LSU doesn't have anyone they can reliably turn to when they need a bucket. That leaves them left with just hoping a random guy or two gets hot that night. When that doesn't happen (see Nichols and Syracuse) they crash and burn.

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Posted by Mats86

Member since Mar 2021

3664 posts

Posted on 11/30/23 at 4:35 pm to Alt26

Wright is the guy who definately drives me crazy watching him, with miller, it seemed part of the offense was to get him an open look from 3. Sometimes he would take that into his own hands and the results were bad. With wright, it seems he’s trying to be that guy outside of the offensive plan. Which has led to some pretty awful looking showings seemingly every other game. If anything, ward should be that guy, and occasionally maybe mwani from the corner. It seems more than half of the time, wright has made the offense worse by being on the floor, because he definately doesn’t look to pass. Which is why I was saying I think his leash is too long.
The offense should run through baker theoretically, but he seems a bit too weak with the ball to facilitate offense for anyone else.
I do think our guards are more physically able to compete, nobody playing now is worse than hill was last year.
Of course, if everyone stays as they are right now, it would probably look similar to last season. But I have to think Williams improves, and stewart finds his role. I don’t have a lot of hope that baker or wright figure out how to positively contribute when their shot isn’t going down.

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