LSU Will Be Without Big Man Robert Miller III For SEC Tournament Game Vs. Kentucky Today

By GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor

LSU forward/center Robert Miller III scored double-figure points for the second time in four games Saturday against Texas A&M with 12 and grabbed eight rebounds and blocked four shots in 30 minutes off the bench.

But the 6-foot-10, 230-pound sophomore from Houston was listed on coach Matt McMahon’s availability report to the Southeastern Conference office on Tuesday night as “out” for today’s SEC Tournament against Kentucky in Nashville (11:30 a.m., SEC Network).

During the SEC Network broadcast of the game, the announcers said Miller was not playing because of “a violation of team rules.”

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McMahon did not return a call early Wednesday about Miller not being available.

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The last place and No. 16 seed Tigers (15-16, 3-15 SEC) play No. 9 seed Kentucky (19-12, 10-8 SEC) in the first game of the tournament. LSU lost to Kentucky, 75-74, at home on Jan. 14 on a jumper from 17 feet by Malachi Moreno at the buzzer after leading the Wildcats by 18 early in the second half and by 52-41 with 13:27 left in the game. Miller had six points and seven rebounds with two steals and two blocked shots in 23 minutes off the bench in that game.

Miller is averaging 6.1 points and 3.9 rebounds with a team-high 44 blocked shots on the season.

The LSU-Kentucky winner plays No. 8 seed Missouri (20-11, 10-8) at 11:30 a.m. Thursday. The Tigers beat Missouri, 78-70, on Jan. 17 in Baton Rouge. The winner of that game plays No. 5-ranked Florida (25-6, 16-2 SEC champions) at noon Friday on ESPN. Florida beat LSU, 79-61, on Jan. 20 in Gainesville. The semifinals are Friday at noon and 2:30 p.m. on ESPN. The SEC Tournament title game will be on Sunday at noon on ESPN.

Kentucky has two injured players listed as probable for today’s game – 6-8 sophomore guard Kam Williams of Lafayette Christian Academy via Tulane and 6-10 junior forward Brandon Garrison. Williams is averaging 6.9 points and 2.5 rebounds in 19 games and seven starts. Garrison is averaging 4.4 points and 4.0 rebounds in 31 games and five starts.