By GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
One LSU player does not have a losing record in Southeastern Conference action this season.
Senior transfer point guard Rashad King went to 2-2 in the league as a starter in the Tigers’ 92-87 win at South Carolina on Saturday in overtime that improved LSU to 2-7 in the SEC.
And the former Northeastern Husky played a major role with 18 points on 4-of-8 shooting and 3 of 6 from three-point range with 7 of 8 from the free throw line along with seven rebounds and three assists. In overtime after a 78-78 tie in regulation, King took over by making 5 of 6 free throws with an offensive rebound, keeping the Tigers ahead.
In his four starts for injured regular point guard Dedan Thomas Jr. (foot), King averaged 11.2 points with seven assists and hit 6 of 14 from three-point range for 42 percent. He had 12 points in the 75-74 loss to Kentucky on Jan. 14, seven points with four assists in the 78-70 win over Missouri on Jan. 17 and eight points with a pair of three-pointers in the 79-61 loss at Florida on Jan. 20.
“I thought Rashad played really well at South Carolina,” LSU coach Matt McMahon said Thursday at a press conference. “I think he’s been terrific. He’s critical for us.”
Thomas has not practiced since aggravating his foot injury in the loss to Mississippi State a week ago Wednesday. He had a lot of pain and soreness the day after that game and did not dress out for the South Carolina game. Thomas missed the first five games of the SEC season with the foot injury.
“He’ll be reevaluated this afternoon,” McMahon said. “He’s day to day at this point.”
Thomas was expected only to do some running on Thursday. He will likely be ruled out or labeled as doubtful in McMahon’s availability report to the SEC office on Friday for Saturday when LSU (14-8, 2-7 SEC) hosts Georgia (16-6, 4-5 SEC) in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center (5 p.m., SEC Network).
True freshman Jalen Reece was the original starter in Thomas’ place at point guard, but King has played better.
“He’s the one guy from a numbers standpoint who’s taken a big jump as we’ve gotten into SEC play,” McMahon said. “His efficiency numbers, his shooting percentages have really increased.”
King is averaging 8.9 points and 2.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 22.5 minutes a game in nine SEC games with eight steals. He is shooting 50 percent from the field and 37 percent from three-point range in the league.
“He’s done a good job,” McMahon said. “Not only from a production standpoint, but really steadying our team and organizing our team on both sides of the ball. So, I think he’s going to be a big key for us as we go down the stretch, and we want to see him continue to play with this confidence that he has been playing with the last four weeks.”
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