re: What the basketball team really needs.

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compared to the rest of the SEC, we're likely top 2-3 in talent

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That's were I think people miss the boat here. Is LSU as talented top to bottom as Kentucky, Kansas, Duke, UNC? Of course not. Are they as talented as anyone not named UK in the SEC? Absolutely. That's why the conference results are maddening

Sure, things might be better if X.Y.Z. were better players. Every team could say that. The fact is that this team could be much better if there were simply more emphasis on the little things that make a huge difference in winning or losing basketball games.

The amount of turnovers per game is ridiculous. Many of the turnovers are attributable to nothing more than unforced errors and lack of valuing possession of the basketball.

Jones still refuses to use TOs to kill an opponent's run before it balloons to a big number. I understand letting teams play through adversity early on in the non-conf schedule. However it is unacceptable to do so in game 26 which also happens to be a huge conference game (i.e. the 12-0 run he let balloon out of control against A&M)

The situational awareness is completely lacking from top (the HC) to bottom. It's unbelievable that LSU was still trying to push the ball and take quick shots with a large lead in the final minutes against UF. It took the lead being trimmed down to 7 with 2 minutes to play for Jones to even consider telling his team to use some clock even though UF was willing to allow LSU to run the shot clock with a 13 point lead. It wouldn't be that big of a deal if they hadn't done the same things against UT with a big lead, UGA in the 2nd OT, or even fricken Gardner-Webb in the first game.

That's just a few. It's the small plays/decisions that this team struggles with and there is absolutely no emphasis from the coaching staff to correct them. Otherwise we wouldn't see the same problems occur over, and over, and over again.

No one has been able to soundly beat this team in spite of those same issues constantly showing up. Just a little more attention to detail and this could easily be a 23-4 ranked team fighting for potentially an SEC crown and a great seed in the NCAAT vs. a 19-8 team in position where they could possibly finish just .500 in conference play and miss out on the NCAAT yet again.