re: Curious if I can get a fair LSU basketball breakdown

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There's two ends of the court

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Don't come here asking for an assessment and then complain about the content of the responses. Take your arse to YouTube and watch some games and form your own opinion

AU and LSU are very comparable teams and the NET and KenPom ratings show that.

AU should win this at home. If LSU can go into AU and get the win look out.

Defense will keep LSU in the game in my opinion. If the ball is going in LSU is going to win, but that is a big if. I predict Auburn to pull out a war because it is at Auburn. But that said, this LSU team is not one you want to have that type of game with. I just respect how tough its gonna be to win at Auburn.

This team is nothing like last year. We only have 1 starter from last year named Darius Days, When he is on, he can come up big outside. This team is not built on outside shooting. Our players play like the old Arkansas press. We usually start out slow and have gotten down by double digits. But this team plays fast and the best way for Auburn to win is slow things down. It should be a good game. Our freshman are outstanding and we have a couple of transfers that bring toughness to the team. I don't look for either team to blow the other out the gym. We will only get better if we can stay healthy.

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I am not sure yet whether the defense is coaching or athleticism. I hope it is both.

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It’s both. This team switches extremely well on defense due to their length and athleticism.

Early leads against LSU's starters is fool's gold. It's almost like we're baiting teams into false confidence, like a movie villain.

Games start out with the other team jumping ahead against our starters, then we make our first subs around 6 minutes in and start shrinking the margin. That defense that seemed pesky but not overwhelming... it never relents. Your players have to work a little harder then you want every play, from the inbound pass all the way through the possession, each possession. Soon you see a couple cracks where one-two starters get tired, and when you sub things start to slip. Because LSU's subs are better than the other team's (really, better than LSU's starters). By halftime, what seemed a comfortable lead might be a tossup, by midway through the second half it's LSU starting to pull away.

It's weird, it's not a team that spurts on you and you feel the run. It's much more like a distance race, LSU sets a pace you think is too fast, and you keep waiting for them to physically hit the wall, and they don't. It's not up-down tempo pace, it's athletic exertion pace.

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Curious if I can get a fair LSU basketball breakdown

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There's two ends of the court

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So you ask for a fair breakdown, and when you get it you have a smart arse comment?

Our defense is really good. This is probably the first time a team will match up athletically with LSU all season though, so we will have to see how the defense holds up against that. If Auburn scores 80+, it will be very difficult for LSU to win. If the winning score is in the 60's then it will favor LSU. Our shooting has been inconsistent. It will be a tough task for LSU to pull out this win.

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Because LSU's subs are better than the other team's (really, better than LSU's starters)

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Being able to bring in Gaines and Eason is unreal. Eason could be the best player in the league, and Gaines is like a young Pat Beverly. Most college players are not ready for the relentless defense that Gaines plays.

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Honestly two very similar teams. I would say your interior defense will be much better than anything LSU has faced.

The name of the game is if LSU can hit shots during crunch time. Looking forward to the matchup.

My non-homer prediction is Auburn by 4-8 range.

Homer prediction LSU by 5.

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There are a lot of similarities between the two teams. Both are top 10 defensively. Both have great athleticism. Neither minds playing an uptempo game. They are balanced scoring teams with each having 6 guys that average at least 7 ppg.

Some of the differences are:

Auburn is going to live at the 3 point line more than LSU. They take nearly 28 3PA per game. LSU takes significantly less at 23 3PA per game. Auburn is averaging nearly 10 made 3 pointers per game. LSU averages 7. However, LSU's 3 point shooting is very streaky. Some nights LSU couldn't hit water if they fell out of a boat. Other nights they can't miss (particularly Days). There is not a lot of middle ground. This will be a key matchup. Teams are shooting a ton of 3's vs. LSU...and making relatively few (LSU is 11th in opponent 3pt FG%).

Auburn's highlights defensively come by way of the blocked shot. They are the #1 shot blocking team in the nation. LSU gets it done by stealing the ball. They are #1 in the nation in steals. How the refs call the game will be important. Both teams want to be ultra aggressive defensively (Auburn in blocking shots; LSU in taking it away). If the refs call it tight that will mitigate how each team wants to play.

One big concern is this will be LSU's first true road game in what can be a very underrated home atmosphere. LSU only has two guys (Days and Pinson) who have experience playing in raucous road environments. What is killing LSU's offensive efficiency more than anything is turnovers. LSU is scoring the ball pretty well...when they aren't giving it away. That's why you have heard Wade beating the drum relentlessly about the turnovers. I promise you, he is VERY concerned that if LSU turns the ball over at will like they have in multiple games this year that is going to ignite the home crowd and create an avalanche of energy many of his players haven't experienced.

You have a real slight advantage when you play LSU on your own court. General Wade coached teams have not ever won on your court. Auburn averages just under 67 points per game against LSU and LSU has a smothering defense this year.

Your team got blasted last year in our house and Pearl recently received his NCAA "sentence". Our athleticism this year with the General's aptitude at preparing the soldiers mentally is why we are 12 - 0. With all of the negativity surrounding your program this year and the positive environment our team is thriving in, expect an LSU win 73 - 61. It is only a 12 point victory as the General pulls his starting soldiers with over 5 minutes to play under a standing O from the Auburn crowd.

Pearl gets fired.