re: MBB - Everyone starting a thread, here is mine... this loss really sucks.

My thoughts (not that anyone cares):

1. Give A&M some credit. LSU could not have asked for a better scenario than Taylor getting into early foul trouble. Yet, they had guys who aren't good shooters step up an make shots to keep them in the game in the first half. Without that, LSU probably has a 8-10 point lead at the half.

2. You knew A&M wasn't going to get bludgeoned again in the rebounding battle. They are the best offensive rebounding team in the country. LSU's victory in that stat in game 1 was an anomaly. But LSU had to at least be competitive there yesterday. They weren't. Reed and Baker were LSU's frontcourt starters. They played a combined 44 minutes and had as many rebounds (5) combined as Jalen Cook had on his own.

3. LSU settled for threes a lot in the second half. They only shot 10 FTs all game. That number should have been double.

4. Cook right now is a "negative" player. Yes, LSU became a much better team when he became eligible, and that is still the case. But they desperately need him to be more efficient. Being the 2nd leading scorer (12 points) is fine. But he took the second most shots in the game to get it (4-12, 1-6). Worse, he had one assist and five turnovers. In SEC play his assist:turnover ratio is 1:4. That's horrible. Plus, he's a bad defender. A&M got a lot of good offense going in the 2nd half because Cook was allowing drive after drive. That's why you saw McMahon replace him at times with Williams and Hannibal. Cook doesn't defend. So if he's not scoring at a high rate and turning the ball over he is a detriment to the team on the floor. It's tough to place such a big burden on one guy, but that's the reality. LSU desperately needs him to be good each night out.