LSU basketball struggled through its worst season in 50 years in 2016-17.
The Tigers had a 10-21 record and a 2-16 mark in the Southeastern Conference. Those numbers were the poorest for LSU since it went 3-23 overall and 1-17 in the SEC during Press Maravich’s first year as coach in 1966-67. Of course, there was another Maravich playing on the freshman team that season.
Will Wade has replaced Johnny Jones as coach, but it will be difficult for him to get the Tigers out of the SEC cellar. LSU does return four starters from that team – wings Skylar Mays and Brandon Sampson and post players Aaron Epps and Duop Reath. Wade added freshman point guard Tremont Waters.
There is no doubt that the Tigers are fielding a stronger team this season. LSU lost 13 games by double digits to SEC opponents when one includes its league tournament game against Mississippi State. It would be very surprising if the Tigers were that uncompetitive under Wade.
LSU’s victory at Memphis was a solid victory for a first road game. The Tigers went 9-3 in the non-conference portion of their schedule. There was only one disappointing defeat – at home to Stephen F. Austin, which lost at Southeastern Louisiana on Thursday night.
However, the teams at the bottom of the SEC last season appear to also be much stronger this season. Major dips may be taken by two teams who reached the NCAA tournament last March – South Carolina and Vanderbilt.
With the exception of the top three or four teams, the SEC league appears to be as balanced as it has been in years. Every team could win as many as five conference games.
“There is not much difference between the fifth and sixth teams from the 12th and 13th teams in the SEC,” Wade said. “There will be a lot of six-minute games this year. I hope the SEC gets seven teams in the NCAA tournament.”
LSU is not ready to be one of those seven teams as Wade is just implementing his system and culture. A realistic goal for the Tigers would be to avoid the first day of games at the SEC tournament in St. Louis. To finish in tenth place, LSU would probably need to win six games. Such a record would show progress.
The Tigers do not start their SEC schedule Saturday like ten conference teams. LSU does not play Saturday because it is not participating in the SEC-Big 12 Challenge this season. So, the Tigers will have a conference game in late January when those ten teams are facing a Big 12 team.
Here is a prediction of the order of finish in the SEC.
1. TEXAS A&M
Head coach: Billy Kennedy
Current record: 11-1
Results against power conference opponents: victories against West Virginia, Oklahoma State, Penn State and Southern California; loss to Arizona.
Team Statistics
A&M: 81.6 points per game; opponents: 64.4 points per game
A&M: 48.3 FG shooting; opponents: 36.1 FG shooting
Rebounding margin: +10.2
Assist/turnover ratio: 1.3
Top Players
DJ Hogg, 6-9, Jr., post player – 14.6 points, 6.8 rebounds per game
Tyler Davis, 6-10, Jr., post player – 13.9 points, 8.4 rebounds per game
Admon Gilder, 6-4, Jr., wing – 12.7 points, 5.3 rebounds per game
2. KENTUCKY
Head coach: John Calipari
Current record: 10-2
Results against power conference opponents: victories against Virginia Tech and Louisville; losses to Kansas and UCLA.
Team Statistics
UK: 81.5 points per game; opponents: 69.7 points per game
UK: 49.4 FG shooting; opponents: 40.0 FG shooting
Rebounding margin: +6.8
Assist/turnover ratio: 1.1
Top Players
Hamidou Diallo, 6-5, Jr., wing – 15.3 points, 4.8 rebounds per game
Kevin Knox, 6-9, Fr., wing – 15.1 points, 5.6 rebounds per game
PJ Washington, 6-7, Fr., post player – 10.3 points, 5.5 rebounds per game
3. ARKANSAS
Head coach: Mike Anderson
Current record: 10-2
Results against power conference opponents: victories against Oklahoma and Minnesota; loss to North Carolina.
Team Statistics
ARK: 90.0 points per game; opponents: 73.1 points per game
ARK: 50.3 FG shooting; opponents: 41.9 FG shooting
Rebounding margin: +0.5
Assist/turnover ratio: 1.7
Top Players
Jaylen Barford, 6-3, Sr., wing – 18.6 points, 4.1 rebounds per game
Daryl Macon, 6-3, Sr., point guard – 15.3 points, 4.2 assists per game
Daniel Gafford, 6-11, Fr., post player – 11.7 points, 6.3 rebounds per game
4. TENNESSEE
Head coach: Rick Barnes
Current record: 9-2
Results against power conference opponents: victories against Clemson, Purdue, North Carolina State, Georgia Tech and Wake Forest; loss to North Carolina.
Team Statistics
UT: 77.5 points per game; opponents: 65.8 points per game
UT: 44.2 FG shooting; opponents: 39.0 FG shooting
Rebounding margin: +2.0
Assist/turnover ratio: 1.3
Top Players
Grant Williams, 6-7, So., post player – 15.4 points, 6.6 rebounds per game
Jordan Bowden, 6-5, So., wing – 12.0 points, 3.5 rebounds per game
Admiral Schofield, 6-5, Jr., wing – 11.9 points, 5.2 rebounds per game
5. FLORIDA
Head coach: Mike White
Current record: 8-4
Results against power conference opponents: victory against Stanford; losses to Duke, Florida State and Clemson.
Team Statistics
UF: 83.7 points per game; opponents: 73.8 points per game
UF: 44.2 FG shooting; opponents: 44.0 FG shooting
Rebounding margin: +1.3
Assist/turnover ratio: 1.3
Top Players
Jalen Hudson, 6-6, Jr., wing – 18.2 points, 4.1 rebounds per game
Egor Koulechov, 6-5, Sr., post player – 14.1 points, 6.7 rebounds per game
Chris Chiozza, 6-0, Sr., point guard – 12.9 points, 5.8 assists per game
6. GEORGIA
Head coach: Mark Fox
Current record: 9-2
Results against power conference opponents: victory against Georgia Tech.
Team Statistics
UG: 74.7 points per game; opponents: 67.5 points per game
UG: 46.0 FG shooting; opponents: 39.7 FG shooting
Rebounding margin: +8.1
Assist/turnover ratio: 1.1
Top Players
Yante Maten, 6-8, Sr., post player – 20.2 points, 9.3 rebounds per game
William Jackson, 6-4, Jr., point guard – 12.3 points, 4.1 assists per game
Rayshawn Hammonds, 6-8, Fr., post player – 8.3 points, 5.3 rebounds per game
7. AUBURN
Head coach: Bruce Pearl
Current record: 11-1
Results against power conference opponents: no games.
Team Statistics
AU: 85.8 points per game; opponents: 71.5 points per game
AU: 45.6 FG shooting; opponents: 39.6 FG shooting
Rebounding margin: +8.3
Assist/turnover ratio: 1.1
Top Players
Mustapha Heron, 6-5, So., wing – 15.6 points, 5.7 rebounds per game
Bryce Brown, 6-3, Jr., wing – 15.5 points, 2.4 assists per game
Desean Murray, 6-3, Jr., post player – 11.3 points, 7.7 rebounds per game
8. ALABAMA
Head coach: Avery Johnson
Current record: 8-4
Results against power conference opponents: losses to Minnesota, Arizona and Texas.
Team Statistics
UA: 76.9 points per game; opponents: 71.8 points per game
UA: 47.2 FG shooting; opponents: 42.3 FG shooting
Rebounding margin: +1.2
Assist/turnover ratio: 0.9
Top Players
Collin Sexton, 6-3, Fr., point guard – 20.5 points, 3.6 rebounds per game
Donta Hall, 6-9, Jr., post player – 11.1 points, 7.5 rebounds per game
Dazon Ingram, 6-5, So., wing – 10.9 points, 6.7 rebounds per game
9. MISSOURI
Head coach: Cuonzo Martin
Current record: 10-3
Results against power conference opponents: victory against Iowa State; losses to Utah, West Virginia and Illinois.
Team Statistics
MO: 78.9 points per game; opponents: 66.5 points per game
MO: 48.4 FG shooting; opponents: 39.4 FG shooting
Rebounding margin: +9.4
Assist/turnover ratio: 1.0
Top Players
Kassius Robertson, 6-3, Sr., point guard – 15.1 points, 2.5 assists per game
Jordan Barnett, 6-7, Sr., wing – 14.8 points, 6.2 rebounds per game
Kevin Puryear, 6-7, Jr., post player – 10.2 points, 4.9 rebounds per game
10. SOUTH CAROLINA
Head coach: Frank Martin
Current record: 9-3
Results against power conference opponents: losses to Virginia Tech and Clemson.
Team Statistics
USC: 72.6 points per game; opponents: 63.4 points per game
USC: 43.1 FG shooting; opponents: 40.2 FG shooting
Rebounding margin: +6.6
Assist/turnover ratio: 0.9
Top Players
Chris Silva, 6-9, Jr., post player – 12.8 points, 8.0 rebounds per game
Frank Booker, 6-3, Sr., wing – 11.1 points, 2.9 rebounds per game
Malik Kotsar, 6-10, So., post player – 9.8 points, 4.7 rebounds per game
11. MISSISSIPPI STATE
Head coach: Ben Howland
Current record: 11-1
Results against power conference opponents: none.
Team Statistics
MSU: 75.5 points per game; opponents: 61.1 points per game
MSU: 47.3 FG shooting; opponents: 37.9 FG shooting
Rebounding margin: +4.9
Assist/turnover ratio: 0.9
Top Players
Quinndary Weatherspoon, 6-4, Jr., point guard – 13.9 points, 6.0 rebounds per game
Aric Holman, 6-10, Jr., post player – 12.3 points, 7.6 rebounds per game
Nick Weatherspoon, 6-2, Fr., wing – 10.7 points, 2.8 rebounds per game
12. OLE MISS
Head coach: Andy Kennedy
Current record: 7-5
Results against power conference opponents: losses to Utah and Virginia Tech.
Team Statistics
OM 82.5 points per game; opponents: 76.6 points per game
OM: 46.4 FG shooting; opponents: 42.5 FG shooting
Rebounding margin: +0.2
Assist/turnover ratio: 1.4
Top Players
Terrence Davis, 6-4, Jr., wing – 16.1 points, 6.0 rebounds per game
Deandre Barnett, 6-2, Sr., point guard – 14.4 points, 4.8 assists per game
Markel Crawford, 6-4, Sr., wing – 10.5 points, 3.7 rebounds per game
13. LSU
Head coach: Will Wade
Current record: 9-3
Results against power conference opponents: victory against Michigan; loss to Notre Dame.
Team Statistics
LSU: 84.7 points per game; opponents: 73.4 points per game
LSU: 51.5 FG shooting; opponents: 43.7 FG shooting
Rebounding margin: +4.5
Assist/turnover ratio: 1.3
Top Players
Tremont Waters, 5-11, Fr., point guard – 17.1 points, 6.4 assists per game
Skyler Mays, 6-4, So., wing – 12.8 points, 4.3 rebounds per game
Duop Reath, 6-11, Sr., post player – 11.9 points, 4.7 rebounds per game
14. VANDERBILT
Head coach: Bryce Drew
Current record: 5-7
Results against power conference opponents: losses to Southern California, Virginia, Kansas State and Arizona State.
Team Statistics
VU: 71.2 points per game; opponents: 68.2 points per game
VU: 41.1 FG shooting; opponents: 42.3 FG shooting
Rebounding margin: +3.4
Assist/turnover ratio: 1.0
Top Players
Jeff Roberson, 6-6, Sr., post player – 14.4 points, 8.3 rebounds per game
Matthew Fisher-Davis, 6-5, Sr., wing – 12.0 points, 5.5 rebounds per game
Riley LaChance, 6-2, Sr., wing – 11.7 points, 2.8 rebounds per game
