Instant takeaways: LSU exits NCAA Tournament with loss to Iowa State
LSU’s roller coaster of a season came to a roller coaster of an end on Friday night as the Tigers were eliminated from the NCAA Tournament at the hands of Iowa State in the first round in Milwaukee.
It was the team’s first game without Will Wade on the sideline after his firing last Saturday, which began a chaotic week for the program.
LSU did not get off to a hot start, with Iowa State controlling the first half. In the first 20 minutes, the Tigers’ offense couldn’t drum up much as it couldn’t finish near the rim or establish any consistent three-point shooting. Tari Eason spent much of the half in foul trouble.
Despite that, and only scoring 19 points, LSU was only down five at the half. It’s something LSU fans have become accustomed to this season. Sloppy play from the offense, but the defense doing just enough to keep it a game.
LSU found some spark in the second half, but it wasn’t enough as Iowa State was able to hit the clutch shots that the Tigers could not. Offense was LSU’s Achilles’ heel all year, and it did the Tigers in on Friday night.
With this team’s season now over, here are five takeaways from the loss to the Cyclones.
LSU's first game without Wade on the sideline
Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images
The biggest question mark heading into the night was how LSU would respond after an abrupt change at head coach. The results were mixed. LSU came out sloppy, but that was often the case even when Will Wade was helming the bench.
There was a moment when substitution confusion led LSU to have six men on the floor, which earned the Tigers a technical. Those are the kind of things that happen in a head coach’s first game with a new group. It’s just that game is usually not the first game of the NCAA Tournament.
It’s impossible to say if LSU would have won with Wade coaching. Many of the issues on Friday weren’t new, but it couldn’t have hurt. That being said, the job Nickelberry did was admirable and that team played hard for him on Friday.
LSU struggled to take care of the ball
Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
Coming into the game, this was an area of concern. Turning the ball over has been a problem for LSU since the seasons began in November. It was no different on Friday night. For whatever reason, LSU just cannot protect the ball.
Sometimes it’s making passes that are too aggressive, it’s bad spacing and occasionally, it’s flat out sloppy.
It’s been something that’s prevented the Tigers from controlling momentum throughout the year, and they had a few runs stilted against Iowa State after failing to protect the basketball.
Darius Days showed up
Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images
Darius Days is the heart and soul of this basketball team. With the turmoil LSU’s gone through in the past week, Days was bound to perform on Friday.
He finished with 14 points, 12 rebounds and two assists in what was his last game in a Tiger uniform. He’s been a constant for LSU over the last few years and his presence will be missed on the court and in that locker room.
LSU needed more balance
Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images
LSU has been a one or two-man show for most of the year. It hasn’t always been the same guys, but it’s been a rare occurrence that the Tigers get significant production from more than two players in the same night.
That bogged LSU down once again on Friday night. Eason and Days carried their fair share, but it didn’t get much from anywhere else.
No other player scored more than eight points and the shooting was bad across the board. It’s yet another thing that’s kept the Tigers from being consistent and playing a complete game throughout the year.
LSU showed fight
Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images
The final result didn’t go LSU’s way and so many questions remain about where this program goes now, but this team showed fight on Friday night.
It had every reason to quit, but it didn’t. The fundamentals weren’t there, and they rarely were this season, but all the intangibles were.
The Tigers lost Adam Miller before the season even started, and all things considered, it was a group that exceeded expectations.
LSU now enters a period of uncertainty, and this isn’t how anyone wanted this era to end, but it had its moments and fans should be proud of the way this team fought.
1
1
