LSU Will Face Another Guard-Strong, Likely NCAA Tournament Team In SMU Saturday

By GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor

The LSU men’s basketball team failed its first major test last Sunday in an 82-58 loss at No. 19 Texas Tech as its guards were dominated on both ends.

The Tigers (8-1) will face a similar challenge on Saturday against SMU (9-1), which is also guard heavy, when they play on Saturday (7:30 p.m., SEC Network) at the 17,791-seat Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. The No. 5 LSU women (10-0) play Louisiana Tech (5-3) at 5 p.m. Saturday to open the doubleheader.

LSU Gets Cold Slap Of Reality From No. 19 Texas Tech In 82-58 Loss

“We have to be more efficient on offense,” LSU coach Matt McMahon said Thursday at a press conference. Our players were disappointed in our play and have been very committed to getting better. I expect we’ll be locked in and ready to go.”

This will be the last chance LSU has to prove itself against an Southeastern Conference-caliber team.

“SMU is easily and NCAA Tournament team,” McMahon said. So was Texas Tech (9-0), which has moved up to No. 16.

After SMU, the Tigers play three home games against lower level teams Southeastern Louisiana, Prairie View and Southern Mississippi before playing at Texas A&M on Jan. 3 to open SEC play.

LSU will have to contend with a trio of excellent guards in 6-foot-5 junior Jaron Pierre Jr. of St. Augustine High in New Orleans, 6-3 senior B.J. Edwards and 6-0 senior Boopie Miller.

Pierre, a transfer from Jacksonville State, Wichita State and Southern Mississippi, is averaging 19.5 points and 6.0 rebounds while hitting 32 percent from three-point range. Edwards, a Tennessee transfer, is averaging 13 points, 5.6 assists and 5.3 rebounds. And Miller, formerly of Wake Forest and Central Michigan, leads the team in scoring (20.6 points a game), assists (6.8) and three-point shooting at 18 of 43 for 39 percent.

LSU guards Dedan Thomas Jr., Max Mackinnon, Rashad King and Jalen Reece struggled against Texas Tech on both ends of the floor.

“We did a poor job defensively from the three-point line,” McMahon said. “Our players learned a lot. I’ve learned a lot. We’ve been making corrections.”