How Darius Days Wants to Make Impact for LSU When Shots Aren't Falling
Darius Days might not be seeing his outside shot fall like he's accustomed to but the senior forward is staying confident and finding other ways to contribute to LSU's success.
Days came out this season on an absolute tear from long distance, shooting 16-of-25 over his first three games and earning SEC Player of the Week in the process. But since that flaming hot start to the season, Days has been unable to find the same rhythm from beyond the arc, shooting 8-of-43 in the last eight games.
A four year contributor for this team, Days has been one of the more reliable three-point shooters on the team, shooting 38 and 40% for the Tigers in his freshman and junior seasons. This year has been more difficult and as the struggles mounted, Days kept trying to shoot himself out of the slump.
Against Louisiana Tech, Days started to find other ways he can help this team when his outside shot isn't falling. In that same eight game stretch, Days is pounding the glass, averaging 9.5 rebounds and 1.4 steals, including a monstrous 18-rebound performance against the Bulldogs Saturday night.
"I thought he played great on Saturday, 18 rebounds, I told him if he averaged 18 rebounds the rest of the way we'd be in business," Wade said. "He got some easy looks around the basket, had some put backs and a nice post move around the rim. He was able to kind of dig some rebounds out that kind of got him going and he didn't let his lack of making shots affect everything else going on. I think that shows how much he's matured, how much he's growing as a player."
"My outside shot hasn't been falling but we're still working. It's going to eventually fall and get back on track but since it hasn't been falling I'm trying to get inside more," Days said.
Days and sophomore guard Eric Gaines have a very good relationship on the court, so much so that Gaines is one of the people to help reassure Days how much this team needs him and to stay confident in his shot. At times this season it's almost been as though Days has tried to put too much of the offensive load on his back.
Saturday against Louisiana Tech was one of the first outings this season where Days allowed the game to come to him by attacking the rim and converting on shots closer to the basket. Days mentioned that most of the times at beginning of games, teams are so laser focused on the scouting report that someone's going to mess up and give Days open looks from the outside.
"First I tell myself to breathe," Days said. "A lot of people think I can just shoot the ball and rebound but there's more to my game. My guys believe in me, I believe in myself and the coaching staff believes in me. That's why I came back so just letting everything come to me. Just relax and everything will come. "
Come SEC play there's no doubt that Days' role as the primary three point weapon on this team will need to be more consistent from beyond the arc. Wade, who has had a sixth sense of successful stretches from his players in the past, believes Days' shot is starting to really get back to where it was at the beginning of the season.
"I thought his shot selection was really good, I think he's coming back around," Wade said. "I could sense it today in our shooting groups. He's getting closer and getting confident and I think he's gonna shoot it real well."
