Latest Projections Still Have LSU Baseball Within NCAA Tournament Bid Barrier
In 24 hours, LSU baseball will learn if its 2021 season will continue. Will coach Paul Mainieri get one last postseason run or will the Tigers be sent home after an average season by standards for this program. At the end of the day, the sentiments following LSU's early exit in the SEC Tournament haven't changed.
The Tigers have left their season in the hands of a tournament committee and should feel some level of nerves while also trying to prepare as if they will earn a bid in next week's regional. There's good reason to feel a bit nervous if you're a supporter of the program.
There have been upsets throughout the week across various conference tournaments but as the final games start this weekend, LSU still remains on the edge for earning a tournament bid. In D1 Baseball's most recent 64 team projections, LSU is one of the last five teams to make the cut, with very little wiggle room for major upsets on conference championship Sunday.
The Tigers are in the Ruston regional hosted by Louisiana Tech in the D1 Baseball projections as a No. 3 seed while Baseball America has LSU taking a trip to Hattiesburg for the Southern Miss regional as a No. 3 seed.
The Tigers have dropped from No. 22 in the RPI at the start of the week to No. 28, but they still have one of the highest strength of schedules in the country and won four of their last five conference series. Conference tournaments are set to play championship games on Sunday with No. 1 Arkansas facing No. 2 Tennessee in the SEC Championship.
LSU wasn't able to solidify its standing enough to feel really comfortable when the tournament selection show goes live at 11 a.m. on ESPN2. But coach Paul Mainieri still believes that the Tigers will get an opportunity to extend their season in a regional.
"I think we can win a Regional and I think we can win a Super Regional and I think we can still go to Omaha if we get the opportunity next week," Mainieri said. "I really do believe we will get the opportunity and I think we can play well and I think we can make something out of this year."
Mainieri said LSU had a strong practice on Friday and that there was another practice Saturday before having a day off and then watching the selection show Monday. If LSU's name is not called, it's something the team will deal with at that time but as of now, they're preparing like they've got a regional to play next week.