After falling short in their last two games of the AdvoCare Invitational, the 5-2 LSU Tigers return to the PMAC Saturday afternoon to take on the 3-3 Grambling State Tigers. LSU is looking to win their twelfth straight game in the PMAC, a mark they haven’t reached since early in the 2008-09 season.
Grambling finished with a 17-14 (13-5 SWAC) record last year and won the regular season SWAC Championship. Two of their three wins are against Division II teams, with the third against Niagara. Before we jump too deep into analysis, let’s just say KenPom has LSU projected as a 20 point favorite. This is going to be a game for regrouping and figuring out what went wrong last week.
“We needed a little bit of time off after the weekend in Orlando,” Coach Wade said to the media Friday. “Grambling (Saturday), picked to win the SWAC. They’re plus-seven on the year rebounding the ball, which is concerning with the way we have been rebounding. They shoot 40-percent from three. They’ll present some challenges to us from the three-point line. Hopefully we’ve made progress in those areas and shored those areas up this week, but we’ll see.”
This afternoon’s contest will tip off at 4pm and will be streamed live on SEC Network+. You can also listen in on 98.1FM or join the discussion in the comments below.
Grambling State Tigers Projected Starting 5
#3 - Dallas Polk-Hilliard: 14.2 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 32.2 MPG
#1 - Ivy Smith: 10.5 PPG, 5.5 APG, 29.5 MPG
#25 - DeVante Jackson: 8.2 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 16.7 MPG
#5 - Lasani Johnson: 9.2 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 22.3 MPG
#24 - Travon Bunch: 7.2 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 15.5 MPG
LSU Tigers Projected Starting 5
#0 - Naz Reid: 12.1 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 23.9 MPG
#1 - Ja’vonte Smart: 11.1 PPG, 2.9 APG, 28.3 MPG
#3 - Tremont Waters: 11.3 PPG, 6.3 APG, 33.4 MPG
#4 - Skylar Mays: 14.6 PPG, 2.3 APG, 29.4 MPG
#24 - Emmitt Williams: 9.3 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 24.9 MPG