LSU basketball vs. North Texas in the NIT: Get scouting report and score prediction here
LSU basketball is back in the postseason for the first time under Matt McMahon. The Tigers (17-15) will host the North Texas Mean Green in the first round of the NIT.
It's been an incredible turnaround for LSU — finishing last in the SEC, and five games under .500 a season ago, to playing postseason basketball this year. The Tigers will look to keep the season alive at home against the Mean Green on Tuesday night.
Here's everything you need to know about North Texas:
Fast Facts
Nickname: Mean Green
Conference: American Athletic
2023-24 Record: 18-14
Head Coach: Ross Hodge (First season)
NIT Appearances: Three (2022-24)
Best NIT Finish: Champions (2023)
This season
North Texas finished with a winning record in its first season under Russ Hodge, who was promoted after former head coach Grant McCasland left to take the same job at Texas Tech. The Mean Green clinched a first-round bye in the AAC Tournament and beat Tulane in the second round, but lost to eventual NCAA Tournament team Florida Atlantic in the quarterfinals.
North Texas and LSU have played once this season, with the Tigers defeating the Mean Green, 66-62, in Charleston, S.C. last November.
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Players to Watch
Sophomore guard Jason Edwards has turned into one of the biggest stars in AAC basketball this season. Unrecruited out of high school, Edwards transferred in from Dodge City Community College in Kansas and has played all 32 games for North Texas, including starting his last 20. He averages a team-leading 19.1 points per game.
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Aside from Edwards, junior guard CJ Noland has also broken out as a solid contributor. A top-100 recruit out of high school, Noland was named a Big 12 all-freshman team performer at Oklahoma two years ago but really came into his own after transferring to the Mean Green this season. He's currently averaging career-highs in points, rebounds, and assists per game.
Prediction
LSU 76, North Texas 71: Expect the Mean Green to keep it close, as this is a team that's improved from November. However, so have the Tigers, and LSU will ride the momentum of the home crowd into the second round.
This article originally appeared on The Courier: LSU basketball vs North Texas in NIT: Scouting report, score prediction
