A Dive Into LSU Basketball's Non-Conference Schedule in 2020
Since arriving to LSU, coach Will Wade has made it a priority to schedule non-conference opponents he projects to be at the or near the top of their conference.
In 2019 for example, Wade scheduled matchups with Liberty and East Tennessee State, two teams that aren't well established blue bloods but went a combined 60-8 in the regular season. While the Tigers would split those games, both Liberty and ETSU were teams that would've made the NCAA tournament.
It's finding those diamond in the rough games that not only help prepare the team for the grueling SEC schedule but those wins look good on a resume come tournament selection time as well. With LSU expecting a few key returners and an elite incoming recruiting class, Wade is hoping to find a few more of those non-conference gems that will help mold the Tigers into a true contender by SEC play.
LSU currently has non-conference games scheduled with Hofstra, ULM, North Texas, Louisiana Tech and VCU as well as the Holiday Hoopsgiving showcase and the Gotham Classic tournament in December. In regards to the two tournaments, LSU also knows which teams it will be taking on first, playing USF in the Hoopsgiving showcase and Syracuse in the Gotham Classic.
USF will be the only game of the Hoopsgiving on Dec. 12 but the Gotham Classic will be a three-game tournament that will include Syracuse, the Tigers and three other programs in December.
Hofstra, North Texas and Louisiana Tech went a combined 41-13 in conference play during the 2019 season, and along with VCU, will be the four non-conference outings that will prove to be most challenging for the Tigers in 2020.
That VCU outing in particular will be one to follow as the Tigers look for a bit of retribution in the PMAC after dropping a road game to the Rams 84-82 in 2019, their first loss of the season.
Wade said in a recent interview with the LSU media that he is still awaiting word on one more contract which would complete the non-conference schedule.
"The schedule is done and when that one contract comes back we'll have all 12 of our non-conference games scheduled," Wade said in an interview back on April 30.
The two in-state games against Louisiana Tech and ULM are an opportunity for the Tigers to expand their brand across the state, as the Tigers will travel to Bossier City for matchup against LA Tech on Nov. 24 and will host ULM on Nov. 10.
"We look forward to bringing the LSU basketball program to Shreveport-Bossier next year against a very good Louisiana Tech team. We hope fans of both teams will join us for what will be a fun night of basketball," Wade said in a press release back in December.
While the schedule is nearly done, the Tigers' roster is unsettled at this point as Wade and company await the final decisions from Trendon Watford, Javonte Smart and Darius Days. If all comes to fruition and the program is able to retain two or even all three of those players, Wade thinks the Tigers are poised for a big season.
"It'd look like a major contender on a national scale," Wade said. "That's what we're after and that's what we're very, very close to doing. I think we'll have a team that competes at the top of the SEC and in the top-10 to 15 nationally. I think if things break like we hope, we could have three double digit SEC starters and scorers back and if you add [our recruiting class] you're in real business now."
