Deep Dive Thread for LSU

Alabama Gameday Poster courtesy of AlabamaMBB

The Tigers are coached in their 4th season by Matt McMahon. LSU this season sits at 14-12 overall and 2-11 in conference, with wins over Missouri and South Carolina. They lost Reed and Thomas to season-ending injuries, who led the team and were key contributors.

The Tigers’ leading scorer is 6-6 Max Mackinnon. The Portland transfer is averaging 15 pts on elite shooting. He is shooting just under 40% on high attempts and is elite at the FT line at over 92%. He has scored in double figures in every game he has played this season except 4.

Mackinnon is an elite scorer from all levels. https://x.com/LSUBasketball/status/2024543198580748688?s=20

Their leading rebounder and second-leading scorer is 6-9 Marquel Sutton. Sutton has been a solid rebounder that brings great physicality to the interior. Additionally, he has a great FT rate where he converts great at the line and it is super efficient inside the arc as well. He is not afraid to take the shots from deep but shoots it just under 28%.

Sutton isn’t an elite shooter from deep but is not afraid to take them when open. https://x.com/LSUBasketball/status/2023961887222755455?s=20

Their starting center is Miss State transfer 6-10 Mike Nwoko. Nwoko is an elite offensive rebounder that does a great job blocking shots and drawing fouls. He is super efficient from inside the arc, at over 64% from 2. Keeping him off the offensive glass where he can go back up with it will be key in this game.

Nwoko finishes with authority off the rolls. https://x.com/LSUBasketball/status/2023966588345438468?s=20

Another starter is 6-7 UC Davis transfer Pablo Tamba. Tamba is an elite rebounder with one of the best FT rates in the entire country and number 1 in conference play. He also is super efficient from inside the arc; he does a great job grabbing boards and getting to the line. Tamba is capable of shooting from deep but only takes around 1 per game.

Tamba is a good defender and physical player. https://x.com/LSUBasketball/status/2023964292442161354?s=20

The final starter is 6-0 Jalen Reece. Reece leads the team in assists and is much more of a facilitator than a scoring first guard. Reece has had to step into a much bigger role after the injury to Thomas and has done his best to fill the massive shoes left by the star guard.

The rest of the rotation for LSU, which you are likely to see in the game, is 6-4 PJ Carter, 6-6 Rashad King, and 6-10 Robert Miller. Miller serves as the backup center that is an elite defender and leads the team in both blocks and steal rate. He also is super efficient around the rim, playing above the rim.

LSU is a better offensive team than defensive, and they have a few areas which they could give Alabama some struggles. They do a good job limiting assists and 3s on defense, and they also do a great job getting to the line on offense.

Alabama should be able to take advantage of some areas as well, including getting to the line on offense themselves as LSU fouls a ton. Additionally, LSU struggles with keeping teams off the offensive glass and also gives up a really high percentage from behind the arc.

My player to watch is Aden Holloway. Aden played a smaller role in the Arkansas game but has been super efficient recently. Also, with Labaron still playing through injury and even being on the most recent injury report, I would expect Aden to get some extra minutes and a larger role in this game.

I think LSU is better than their record indicates, and Alabama will need to play to their potential if they want to have success in this game. However, I do think Alabama has a ton to lose, and dropping this game after the high of the last one would be horrible, so I think Alabama comes out and gets the win they are capable of.

Prediction: Alabama 94 - LSU 78

I broke down this game in more detail over on my YouTube channel. Subscribe for More Alabama Basketball Content.https://youtu.be/xgAIeItqO1U