It was refreshing to see Will Wade back in action Tuesday night, wearing purple and gold, roaming the sidelines, and even getting a technical foul called during the course of the game. As good as it was to see Wade back on the sideline, it was even more refreshing to see a basketball team showing some promise and ability.
The LSU Tigers defeated LSU New Orleans Privateers, winning 100-57. A few players stood out with some really good performances. Saliou Niang had 14 points, 14 rebounds, 5 assists, and 6 steals. Donavan Dent finished with a team-high 19 points, 10 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block. He also added 4 rebounds. Off the bench, Michael Ruzic, a freshman 7-foot big man, finished with 17 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block.
This team played pretty well, considering that most of the players had very limited preseason action due to the eligibility issues the team was waiting to resolve. Now that this team gets to play together, the expectation will be for them to continue to grow.
It wasn't pretty the entire game, as the team still committed 12 turnovers and shot only 25% from behind the three-point line. Abdi Bashir was able to showcase his range Tuesday night, finishing 3-of-9 from three-point range and 4-of-11 from the floor, with 11 points off the bench.
Defensively, the Tigers held the Privateers to 25% shooting from the floor and only 14% from three-point range. However, they did allow 14 offensive rebounds, which will need to be addressed going forward. The Tigers also sent the Privateers to the free-throw line 38 times after committing 25 fouls. Expect this to improve as the season moves along and the team gets a better feel for playing together.
This was a really good start for the Tigers. They got the win but still have plenty of work to do. The talent is there, and so are the coaching and leadership. LSU will be back on the court Friday against Texas Southern at 7 p.m. on SECN+.
Share your thoughts on how you felt the Tigers handled the Privateers. What do you think the team needs to improve on before the next game?
