re: Joe Lunardi’s updated bracketology has LSU as an 8 seed after TENN win

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You mean the team that wins the Maui classic every year and then beats up on 32 straight high school teams before choking in the tournament? That's the same you're worried about?

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You clearly don’t watch college basketball to say this idiotic comment

I stand corrected. I only saw them play the one game at Pepperdine, and Gonzaga looked like ABSOLUTE GARBAGE for 30 minutes. Of course LSU has stunk it up a few times this year also. I would still take our chances against them if we played them like we played the vols.

TigerLunatik

I feel like I have a pretty good idea of your basketball knowledge,im confident you know your shite.

What's so special about Gonzaga? They were on TV alot . I heard the announcers say they have 5 pros.in The games I saw ,they never jumped off the screen at me as a juggernaut. Are they beatable? What's your thoughts on them?

But regardless we play a 1 seed if we win any 8/9 matchup correct? So are they any tougher then baylor?

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From what I understand it's Gonzaga and Baylor then everyone else. But, I haven't seen either one of them play this year.

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I've watched both teams as much as possible this year. LSU can compete with BOTH of those teams. Of course it depends on which LSU team shows up. LSU would present problems for Gonzaga with Darius Days pulling out the big. Also, if you have Hyatt hitting those corner 3's, it becomes a very difficult matchup for Gonzaga.

LSU will go as far as their DEFENSE and REBOUNDING will take them. That's where Gonzaga and Baylor has LSU bent over. IMO

So if we had beat Tech we’re the #4 seed?

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If LSU plays like they did vs Ole Miss, Arkansas, State and Tennessee they are a tough out for anyone. The key to me is the defensive rotations and intensity along with having a high number of assists. We are really tough when we share the ball between Smart, Thomas, Days and Watford. It's tough to guard three prolific scorers at once much less 4. As you say, not many teams can match up with Days in college on the outside while also being able to handle him inside as well.

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If Watford and Thomas are willing to share the ball just a bit, it could really make this offense almost unarguable. In the first play of the Tenn game Thomas had the ball off a screen. Virtually EVERY player on Tennessee started to run at or at least focus on Thomas expecting him to shoot. That included Pons, who is one of the best defenders in the league. Instead, Thomas gave it up to a WIDE open Days who was cutting to the goal for an easy layup because EVERYONE assumed Thomas would shoot. Later in the game Thomas was out on the wing and it looked like he was setting up a shot. Even Jimmy Dykes said "he's going to shoot it". But instead, he passed it to Days who had popped out for a top of the arc 3...which he made.

Later in the game Watford had the ball on the baseline with two guys watching him. on the opposite side Hyatt was in the corner where he had already buried two three jumping up and down screaming for the ball because he was WIDE open for another one. Watford must have looked at him for 3 seconds before eventually shooting. To his credit, Watford made the shot. But his teammate was WIDE open for a good look and he refused to give it up.

They both could stand to learn from Big Ern McCracken that if you give a little...you get back whole lot more in return.

On defense Thomas has to join the party on the few nights LSU wants to defend. He is habitually late closing out, finding shooters and just flat out leaves guys open on the backside because he leaves them trying to get a steal (though that is on Wade). Watford's give-a-shite level on defense is sporadic, at best.

At least in the last two games Hyatt's ability to hit a few shots has made the offense even better as LSU can truly force defenses to come out and guard all 5 players. If he can keep it up (7-10 ppg), LSU should have enough to beat anyone offensively. They just need two of their best players (Thomas and Watford) to give them just decent effort defensively (and on the glass)

I'm not on the Hyatt train as much as some y'all. I prefer the little things that Wilkinson does that don't show up on the stat sheet. I would love it though if Hyatt proved me wrong about that.

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I'm not on the Hyatt train as much as some y'all.

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I’ve been in that same boat the past 2 years on him. Was to the point I was hoping he’d transfer out last offseason.

But to his credit, the last couple of games he has been like a completely different player; almost like his confidence switch just finally flipped. But not only is he is scoring, he is giving a lot of hustle plays on defense and in rebounding. If he can stay on that path and keep improving little by little, I’m good with him staying in the role he is in.