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‘National championship’ on the way for LSU basketball?

After Mickey and Martin, LSU returns their top 5 players.

All guards.

Add to these guards, the two super frosh guards in Blakeney and Simmons and .... at least they will be hard to press ..
 
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Has there even been a single lsu fan in this thread?

Are there any lsu basketball fans?


So, you're saying the people that show up at an LSU basketball game are hung over from a football game and just want out of the weather? Or was it free pizza night? :)
 
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This is akin to Will Barton guaranteeing championships at Memphis. It's so easy to say, but so hard to actually do. Like others have said, had they returned Martin and Mickey I'd be concerned. Blakeney and Simmons are two incredible freshman, but they are in for quite the surprise once the season starts. Can't wait til they are 15-8 and someone asks Blakeney about his preseason statement.
 
Johnny Jones is similar to Dale Brown in that he gets talent, however, they don't compete well against anyone but UK. Dale Brown beat UK several times during his career and LSU fans thought he was a great coach but they never really stepped it up against other teams. His team that made the FF in '81 (I believe) should've won it all. As Bob Knight said "No one has done less with more talent", from one jackass to another. Still can't get over us losing to them in 1986 after we had beaten them three times already.
 
They would have been top 5 with Martin and Mickey back despite their coach.

G Patterson
G Blakeney
F Simmons
F Martin
F Mickey

Hornsby, Quarterman, Gray, and Victor off the bench. That would have been a great team that even a mediocre coach could win with.

As it stands, they have a solid top 25 team.

G Patterson
G Hornsby
G Blakeney
F Simmons
F Victor

Quarterman is an excellent sixth man (a starter last year). Gray was their sixth man at the end of last year and I believe he started some earlier in the year. That's a good 7-man rotation. Lacking a little size with Simmons and Victor as the only guys over 6'8 in the main rotation.

They have some big guys, but none of them have shown to be very good thus far.

They should give us a run for our money in the SEC. I don't expect much out of them in the NCAA tourney, though. If they win more than one game, I will be surprised.
 
They would have been top 5 with Martin and Mickey back despite their coach.

G Patterson
G Blakeney
F Simmons
F Martin
F Mickey

Hornsby, Quarterman, Gray, and Victor off the bench. That would have been a great team that even a mediocre coach could win with.

As it stands, they have a solid top 25 team.

G Patterson
G Hornsby
G Blakeney
F Simmons
F Victor

Quarterman is an excellent sixth man (a starter last year). Gray was their sixth man at the end of last year and I believe he started some earlier in the year. That's a good 7-man rotation. Lacking a little size with Simmons and Victor as the only guys over 6'8 in the main rotation.

They have some big guys, but none of them have shown to be very good thus far.

They should give us a run for our money in the SEC. I don't expect much out of them in the NCAA tourney, though. If they win more than one game, I will be surprised.


I don't disagree. Especially regarding Martin and Mickey. I just do not think Simmons provides the rebounding or defense those two brought every night. Although I still think Simmons is the #1 freshman and can do a bunch, but it is mostly in the open court and facing the basket.

Hornsby and his range (pun intended) are not a secret anymore, he will need to create.

I like Qman and Gray.

I see LSU playing us like the Lakers and yet still getting beat at home by Auburn when it counts.
 
Something else about the article.

Simmons is the consensus #1. Aren't there sites that have Labissiere as #1?

And the article also makes it sound like Simmons is the undisputed #1 pick in the 2016 draft.

Don't most mock drafts have Labissiere going #1?

I know those are minor things, but I thought they were worth pointing out.
 
Something else about the article.

Simmons is the consensus #1. Aren't there sites that have Labissiere as #1?

And the article also makes it sound like Simmons is the undisputed #1 pick in the 2016 draft.

Don't most mock drafts have Labissiere going #1?

I know those are minor things, but I thought they were worth pointing out.

Simmons will have the ball in his hands more than Skal will so there will be more opportunities for him to have an impact. I don't know if he'd have that kind of role in the pros.

/Pure guesswork.
 
This will be a typical LSU team, a couple of big time talented players (usually from their own back yard) mixed in with average players who will win a couple of big games perhaps...but I don't expect anything big from them.
 
I think that LSU will have a great season. I am expecting a 3- or 4-seed from them in NCAA Tournament with an appearance in the Sweet Sixteen.
 
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I believe that they will comprise a solid team. Adding Victor will make them legit, as he is a very good player. They will challenge UK for the SEC title. They will be as strong as they have been in several decades, if the coaching doesn't doom them....
 
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If Martin or Mickey had returned, they would be a top-10 team, had both returned maybe top-10. They might sniff the top-20.

But like someone said, they have the same coach.

I agree with Those 2 I could see it, but Jones is yet to show he can do it. Talent wise they probably are one of the top 5-10 teams.
 
Simmons isn't Magic but he's close enough to get LSU in the discussion. People making fun of the prediction are kidding themselves. They could easily have beaten UK last season. Whether we won or lost was part of the statistical "noise". I think LSU has good players and played us tough. Martin and Mickie weren't the only reasons either. Keith Hornsby was 7-14 and was everywhere on the court. Had they not suddenly gone away from him, he was hot enough to have beaten us. But the coach went with his stars and they were too tired at the end. Hornsby reminds me of the Notre Dame guards who gave us fits in the tournament. Basketball is a team game, but a team with one or two super players coupled with really good players who know the game can go all the way. *cough* Wisconsin.
I'm going to see Keith's Dad this weekend in Chicago!
 
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Sorry, still laughing.

shaq-laughing-press-conference-shaq-gifs.gif
 
I like Martin and Mickey over Simmons and Blakeney IMO. i do not think they will be as good as their last season's team IMO. if them 2 stayed I could of seen them top 5.
Article said Simmons in the #1 player and probably #1 pick. Did the Writer forget a Player Named Skal? I like Simmons and a great prospect but I am sorry what I have watched on TV etc.. Skal looks like the best player in that class hands down. It might be That Simmons is just not that flashy, Apples and oranges i guess. I rather have Skal jmo.
 
We have become experts on trying to win a title with one-and-dones.

2 super freshmen + 8 leftovers + 1 Jones = December highlights and March excuses
 
I like his confidence but he has no clue how big of a step up NCAA basketball is from HS & AAU. After UK tears a new butt hole for them this season he then realize that's its not as easy as he thought.
 
Serious question: What is the problem with Johnny Jones? It seems that whenever he is mentioned here there are several mentions of what a bad coach he is, but never anything specific. I'm not saying I think he's a great coach, I'm just wondering if the posters who don't respect him could say a bit more.

Bad at Xs and Os?
Bad at developing talent?
Bad at maintaining morale?

I would mention recruiting but I can't believe anyone would seriously doubt what he's done there.
 
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Serious question: What is the problem with Johnny Jones? It seems that whenever he is mentioned here there are several mentions of what a bad coach he is, but never anything specific. I'm not saying I think he's a great coach, I'm just wondering if the posters who don't respect him could say a bit more.

Bad at Xs and Os?
Bad at developing talent?
Bad at maintaining morale?

I would mention recruiting but I can't believe anyone would seriously doubt what he's done there.



I would be interested as well
 
I got news for those two hotshot freshman, the college game isn't no where close to high school. Even if they had 7-8 big Mac boys, they still have Johnny Jones as their coach.
 
Serious question: What is the problem with Johnny Jones?QUOTE]
How far can Johnny Jones take a team? His tournament resume speaks to the point:
2015 - SEC 0-1 NCAA 0-1
2014 - SEC 1-1 NIT 1-1
2013 - SEC 1-1
2002-2012 - (North Texas) - NCAA O-2
 
LSU has the talent, but they could end up third in the conference.

A&M is going to be really good and they have experience and a better coach.

A&M has their top 3 scorers back, a solid transfer, and add four 4-star Freshmen that could provide depth.

House, Jones, and Caruso give them a deadly trio on the wing.

They add grad transfer Collins from USF who has averaged over 5 assist per game throughout his career.

G Collins(6'1)
G Caruso(6'5)
G House(6'7)
G Jones(6'7)
F Davis(6'9)

With Hogg(6'8) and Thomas(6'9) off the bench adding size, they should have plenty of depth. They also have Robinson(6'1) and Allen(6'5) back for backcourt depth.

They might get the edge because Kennedy is the coach and they have their top guys back.
 
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They could win it all. I have them a top 6 team next season and I can very well see them cutting down the nets.

Kentucky/UNC/Duke/LSU/KU/Maryland/IU are in play for the title IMO.


If lsu and Johnny jones win a natty, Cal has got some splainin ta do.
 
Skal is scary good
Murray looks like he's really good

Ullis and Briscoe are Bulldogs with talent and floor leadership.

Poythress, if healthy, will be senior who is a physical beast! He has the capability to be a defensive shutdown artist.

Lee is Uber athletic and appears to have a chip on his shoulder.

Matthews, Mulder, Hawk, and Willis give us a lot of flexibility and secondary options.

I look forward to a war with LSU, but there's not way they're winnjng a title unless Simmons is ungodly good and can win "on his own" when needed.
 
Interesting thread. I think LSU has some promise just based on their talent level. However, I think the LSU freshmen have to prove it on the court first; they can start by playing a tougher nonconference schedule. Just because you can compete against AAU teams, it doesn't mean that you know how to win college games with any type of consistency.

Last year, it was promising that five SEC teams (#5 Arkansas, #10 Georgia, #9 LSU, #11 Ole Miss, & #1 Kentucky) made it to the NCAAs. However, besides Florida (under BD) and Kentucky, none of these other SEC teams have even made it to the SW16 and beyond in recent years. They have to learn how to beat the top basketball teams that thrive in the ncaa tourney. To do that, these SEC teams need to try to schedule those kind of teams and really challenge themselves.

For instance, Ole Miss gets drilled (57-76) by Xavier who made it all the way to the SW16. Arkansas won their 2nd round game but lost a competitive game (78-87) to #4 seed North Carolina. #10 Georgia played #7 Michigan State tough (63-70) but the Bulldogs have no clue what it takes to defeat a Tom Izzo team. The Spartans made it all the way to the Final4 by impressively defeating #2 Virginia, #3 Oklahoma, & #4 Louisville - in this process, Izzo also defeated Final4 coaches Kruger & Pitino during this run.

And finally, I seemed to recall that #9 LSU seemed to have their game in hand against #8 NC State but lost in the final moments of their game 65-66. How will these LSU Tigers make it to the Final4 when they haven't even shown the ability to win these types of games in the ncaas?
 
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