Kentucky vs LSU....... A Preview

Lwcat
WT Administrator

Kentucky vs LSU 02/06/10
Saturday 4PMEST/3PMCST SEC NETWORK

LSU

Location-Baton Rouge, La.
Enrollment-29,815
Arena-13,215

Head Coach-Trent Johnson
Career Record-186-129 (59.0%) 10 seasons
At LSU-27-8 (77.1%) one season

2008-09 Record-27-8
2008-09 SEC Record-13-3
2008-09 Postseason-1-1 NCAA

2009-10 Record-9-13
2009-10-SEC Record-0-8

LSU 82 Louisiana-Monroe 62
LSU 56 Indiana St. 45
LSU 71 Western Ky. 60
U Conn 81 LSU 55
Arizona St. 71 LSU 52
LSU 66 Louisiana Lafayette 58
LSU 73 Northwestern St. 62
LSU 77 Southeastern Louisiana 60
LSU 63 Nicholls St. 60
LSU 65 Rice 61
Washington St. 72 LSU 70 (OT)
Xavier 89 LSU 65
Utah 61 LSU 59
LSU 83 McNeese 60
Alabama 66 LSU 49
South Carolina 67 LSU 58
Florida 72 LSU 58
Auburn 84 LSU 80
Ole Miss 73 LSU 63
Alabama 57 LSU 38
Mississippi St. 67 LSU 51
Tennessee 59 LSU 54

LSU Stats / UK Stats

PPG-63.5 / 82.4
FG%-41.7% / 49.1%
3 Point%-28.4% / 39.0%
FT%-68.4% / 68.5%
Rebounds-36.7 / 41.9
Assists-11.5 / 16.1
TO’s-12.9 / 15.3
Steals-5.6 / 7.4
Blocks-3.8 / 7.1

Probable Starting Lineup

Tasmin Mitchell F-6’7” Sr. (PPG-17.9)
Denis Harris F-6’10” Fr. (PPG-4.5)
Storm Warren F 6’7” So. (PPG-12.8)
Chris Bass G-6’0” So. (PPG-2.6)
Bo Spencer G 6’1” Jr. (PPG-14.5)

Other Key Players

Aaron Dotson G-6’4” Fr. (PPG-3.5)
Zach Kinsley F-6’9” Fr. (PPG-3.5)
Eddie Ludwig F-6’6” Jr. (PPG-2.3)

Last season, LSU won 27 games….won the SEC regular title….and played NCAA champion North Carolina very tough before losing. Unfortunately, the Tigers fortunes this season have gone the other direction…… as losing 3 starters, including leading scorer Marcus Thornton, have proved too much to overcome. LSU is mired in an 8 game SEC losing streak after their last loss to Tennessee. So, an LSU team that last year finished it’s SEC season with a very good 13-3 record is now 0-8 thus far this season in the SEC.

LSU does have a terrific player in Tasmin Mitchell who surprisingly returned for his senior season. One suspects that Mitchell now wishes he would have opted fpr the NBA draft. Still, Mitchell is having a good year leading the team in scoring, rebounds and steals. Soph Storm Warren and junior Bo Spencer have provided some help in scoring with both in double figures, but the Tigers have gotten very little help from anyone else. Mitchell and Warren are shooting well from the field, but overall, the Tigers are only hitting 41.7% and only a paltry 28.4% from the perimeter.

Bottom line…the Tigers have had great difficulty scoring this season…..averaging only 63.5 PPG. Certainly, second year coach, Trent Johnson, will be trying his best to stop the losses and get the Tigers back on a winning track. Obviously, defeating UK in Baton Rouge would be a huge win for these struggling Tigers and one that could start reversing their basketball fortunes. Right now, barring a significant turn around….LSU won’t even qualify for an NIT bid!


UK has rebounded nicely from their upset loss at South Carolina with home victories over Vandy and Ole Miss. In UK’s recent win over Ole Miss….the Cats let some big leads slip away with some matador defense at times and some careless ball handling. However, offensively….UK shot well hitting 50% from the field and 47.4% from 3 point range….in addition, the Cats outrebounded Ole Miss and handed out 21 assists. Individually, DeMarcus Cousins once again had a double double with 18 points and 13 rebounds. Cousins is simply playing tremendous basketball and has significantly improved over the year. Speaking of improving….kudo’s must be given to Liggins who is playing the best consistent defense while also contributing some nice offense. Certainly, it was great to see Dodson light it up from 3 point range and he has made 8 perimeter shots in the past 2 games. Unquestionably, when Dodson is hitting from the outside, it makes the Cats a much tougher team to guard. Wall and Bledsoe did a great shot of dishing the ball off with 7 and 8 assists respectively, but once again they contributed too many TO’s….11 between them. It was great to see Orton reveal some nice strong moves on offense and contribute only one foul.

The Cats must improve their intensity on defense and be consistent…… and they still must work on valuing each possession….far too many TO’s in most games. Still, this young team has improved over the year, but to be a force in the NCAA….defense and ball handling must get much better.

The Cats now head to Baton Rouge to face the struggling LSU Tigers. Last season, LSU handed the Cats two defeats, but as everyone knows…..this is a far more talented UK team then last season…..and these Cats will be looking to pick up SEC win number 7.

I look for a 10-14 point win for the Cats in Baton Rouge. GO CATS!