LSU Heads Home Awaiting News of NCAA Tournament Draw
LSU will be in limbo the next couple of days following a Friday exit from the SEC tournament. Will Wade's bunch picked up a needed win over Missouri but just couldn't find any kind of rhythm offensively in what became a double digit loss to Arkansas, the third loss to the Razorbacks this season.
It no doubt leaves a bitter taste in this team's mouth to not get another crack at an SEC Championship game, one that the team came just inches short of a year ago. But what these next few days does allow this team to do is first rest their bodies but also continue to work on themselves.
"Couple of guys are gonna go back and rest, take a day or two off and then get back in the gym and start practicing for the NCAA tournament," forward Darius Days said. "We're definitely gonna go on a run, more than likely be a five or six seed so we're excited and coach is gonna do the best of his abilities to get us ready."
LSU still has plenty to work on before getting into the high stakes environment of the NCAA Tournament, where some of this team's biggest issues will come back to haunt them if not corrected. First and foremost, this group will likely want to continue working on the six minute game and closing out with better finishes, something they didn't do against Missouri and didn't have the chance to do against Arkansas.
Far too often the purple and gold fall into offensive lulls and that certainly reared its ugly head in Tampa this week and is something Wade and the team must avoid during March Madness.
Teams like Arkansas will feast off of those runs because the defense can't hold up for those long stretches without any offensive production. The SEC as a whole is in a very good spot with six teams and potentially a seventh if Texas A&M can make a run, to get into the NCAA Tournament.
It's been well documented just how difficult LSU's schedule was and their standings in the NET reflect that but furthermore, the Tigers are hoping all of the tough matchups will better prepare them for what's to come. Whether it's a five or a six seed, LSU will draw a matchup that is in prime upset territory and that experience with tough, scrappy opponents will benefit them in the long run.
"The league is tremendous. Hopefully after today A&M will get in, I think they should've been in before. If they get in that'd give us seven, six of us are pretty solidly in," Wade said. "The top six teams are all gonna be in the top half of the [NCAA Tournament] bracket. Not one of us is on the bubble.
"I think we're gonna have three or four teams that make the Sweet Sixteen. We're built to advance and I think our team's certainly capable and hopefully one of those that can do it. Everybody's got good players, everybody's a good coach and the league is really, really tough."
The NCAA selection show will take place on Sunday at 5 p.m., where the Tigers will learn what region of the bracket they're in, what seed and who the first few opponents will be in their region.
