Looks like we fell for it again.
Between the activity happening in the portal and the rough go of things, I’ve been waiting to say something—anything—positive about the LSU basketball team since conference play started. Unfortunately I don’t think we can keep ignoring it any longer.
The Tigers (12-4) lost again to #11 Vanderbilt 84-73 to drop LSU down to an 0-3 hole in SEC play. LSU opened the SEC slate with a tough loss on the road against Texas A&M, but the biggest sin was getting embarrassed at home
by South Carolina on Tuesday night.
But that was then and this is now. Vanderbilt played like the #11 team in the nation, and LSU erm…didn’t. The Dores led LSU by as many as 20 points, while the closest LSU came to sniffing a lead was a 2-2 tie 90 seconds into the game.
Vanderbilt had five players in double digit points, but LSU’s Max Mackinnon led all players with 27 points. LSU was without star point guard Dedan Thomas Jr. for a third straight game as Thomas has been sidelined with a lower leg injury. But Thomas or no Thomas, the LSU defense has been disastrous this week.
South Carolina scored 50 points in the first half of Tuesday’s game. Vandy scored 52 today. The Tigers trailed by 20 points in both games.
The SEC was supposed to be a little bit worse this season, and LSU was supposed to be a little bit better. And while there are 15 more games to be played, LSU starts off league play 0-3 for a second consecutive season. Maybe things will get better when Dedan Thomas returns to the lineup, and LSU will have back-to-back home games to maybe climb out of this hole.
This upcoming week LSU will host Kentucky Wednesday night (6:00 P.M., SEC Network) and Missouri Saturday afternoon (2:30 P.M., SEC Network).
