LSU Can Beat “Absolutely Anybody,” NCAA Bracketologist Says

By ANDRE CHAMPAGNE, Tiger Rag Staff Reporter

It’s officially time to put your dancing shoes on. It’s March. The stakes are higher. The games mean more. It’s win or go home – which means LSU has a razor-thin margin for error every time it takes the floor from here on out.

So, what’s the biggest question for Kim Mulkey’s team heading into the Big Dance?

“I think the question – and it came out in the SEC Tournament and was part of the regular season – is figuring out how to make that one additional play or two to get over the hump,” ESPN bracketologist Charlie Crème said Tuesday on Tiger Rag Radio.

As the Tigers prepare to take on No. 15 seed Jacksonville (24-8, 13-5 Atlantic Sun Conference) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center (5 p.m., ESPN), they’ll have to find a way to come out on the winning side of close games.

#LSU will take on fifteenth-seeded Jacksonville of the Atlantic Sun Conference in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday at a time to be announced. pic.twitter.com/IjABhP9n5j

— Andre Champagne (@andrechampagnee) March 16, 2026

LSU hasn’t been blown out this season, which is encouraging, but it has struggled to pull through in the clutch.

“I mean, the losses that LSU suffered this year are mostly really close games that were decided by a bucket by the other team, maybe a failure on the offensive end by LSU, missed free throws, couldn’t quite get that one rebound, couldn’t quite make that defensive stop,” Crème said. “One play. That happened twice against South Carolina. It certainly happened against Vanderbilt. It certainly happened against Kentucky. Maybe it’s just LSU’s time to make those plays.”

LSU Needs More Consistency From Its Stars To Make Deep NCAA Tournament Run

Close, high-pressure games are a staple of March, which makes LSU’s late-game execution even more critical. If the Tigers can find a way to break through, Crème believes the ceiling is high.

“They just have to figure out how to deliver on that one big play,” Crème said. “Make that one big defensive stop, and they can absolutely beat anybody in this field.”

Earlier this week, Crème interviewed senior guard Flau’jae Johnson, who understands firsthand the importance of finishing strong. While her two missed free throws weren’t the sole reason LSU lost to South Carolina in the regular season, the Gamecocks capitalized on the next possession, swinging the momentum of the game. Johnson emphasized to Crème that LSU is focused on fixing the small things.

“We just have to do what we can do, and we have to deliver on the small things,” Johnson said. “The small things are what have prevented us from big wins this year.”

Basketball, however, can be unpredictable. LSU has had its share of struggles closing games during the regular season, but if it flips the script in March, it could be the difference in securing the program’s second national championship.