1986 Final Four Run: 40 years ago today , Nikita Wilson, Chicken Pox and upcoming Aub game

May be long so please exit if you are Team tl;dr.

Today began one of the craziest weeks in LSU sports which were about has LSU has it could be. The irony is this was about two and a half months after Sports Illustrated's "Crazy Days at LSU" which had Dale Brown on the cover. The story didn't acknowledge any of this mess.

First of all #14 LSU lost in Gainesville to Florida, 74-65. Not devastating in and of itself, but Florida was still one year away from their FIRST NCAA bid. LSU had beaten Florida 20 of the last 23 games. Still even though LSU was now 13-3 the three losses had come in the last 5 games --all three losses on the road.

LSU took the court that night without Nikita Wilson, the Tigers' captain and one of the top scorers and rebounders.In fact, Wilson would not play for the rest of the season.Buddy Seay, a Psychology professor and head of the LSU Athletic Council deemed Wilson ineligible after failing a Math class and denying Wilson's appeal. Wilson said he failed some tests because of travelling with the team to road games and LSU said he never mentioned any of that until he received his F.

In a press conference the next day Dale Brown responded like Dale Brown.Brown said "there is a Judas on the LSU staff" and how other students with failing grades had been given an incomplete."Some grades have been changed for International Students so they don't have to go back to Iran." He also alluded to the seemingly lethargic play by several Tigers in the Florida game . One of the reasons was an outbreak of Chicken Pox by members of the team. Before leaving for Gainesville , John Williams and Bernard Woodside had complained of a rash and were medicated. Upon returning they were determined to indeed have chicken pox. Only 4 players had had the chicken pox, starters Don Redden and Derrick Taylor and reserves Edwin Wilson and Neboisha Bukumirovich so there was obvious precaution with the remainder of the squad.

Dr Marty Broussard felt the team needed to postpone the upcoming game as well as an internist at OLOL. While sympathetic to a point, Auburn, LSU's upcoming opponent expected LSU to show up for that Saturday's game in Auburn. It was to be Auburn's first nationally televised basketball game at home. Heck,Auburn and various Alabama media suggested that LSU send the four healthy players and some intramural players. Who wouldn't find valor in Auburn winning 119-42 over an impromptu walkon team? Of course this was the same Auburn University that persuaded Kentucky to move their game from Saturday to Monday three weeks earlier as athletic staff and cheerleaders were still en route from the football team's Cotton Bowl and wouldn't make it back in time. Cheerleaders > healthy players. Kentucky obliged without question.

The SEC really just wound up letting LSU and Auburn work it out and the game was postponed a few weeks where LSU won, 63-61 in Auburn. Auburn did return the favor with a win in Baton Rouge at the end of the season.