What to make of Matt McMahon’s tough first year at LSU
The NCAA Tournament is set to begin soon, and LSU won’t be in it.
That’s different from these last few years. With Will Wade, aside from the COVID year, LSU fans got used to watching basketball in March.
The Tigers have made the last three NCAA Tournaments.
LSU never made a special run at a Final Four, though there was a Sweet 16 appearance. But after several years of struggles, the tournament appearances were enough to satisfy LSU fans in an ever improving SEC.
There was even an SEC title throw in there too.
Stars from those teams have now found success in the NBA, whether it be Naz Reid or Cam Thomas.
LSU finished dead last in the SEC this year. Wade was let go a year ago after LSU received a notice of allegations and in the wake of it, LSU basketball has tripped, stumbled and fallen.
Several players from Wade’s team transferred out. At one point, LSU was without any scholarship player on the roster. LSU hired Matt McMahon from Murray State and he recouped some of the losses. Most notably, he convinced guard Adam Miller to return.
McMahon brought a number of his players from a good Murray State team too, along with a couple of blue-chip recruits.
Things didn’t look that bad anymore. The team wasn’t overflowing with talent but it had experienced players who had won at a high level. LSU started 5-0 and moved to 12-1. LSU finished off December with a win over No. 9 ranked Arkansas.
Following the Arkansas win, fans celebrated McMahon’s quick turnaround. The group had gelled fast, and LSU was going to compete for a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
In the next game, the Tigers put up a fight on the road at Kentucky. Not a win, but more evidence the program was trending up and worthy of conference-wide attention.
Then it started to crumble. LSU lost by seven on the road to a Texas A&M team that turned out to be pretty good. Still not the end of the world. Then LSU lost again, to a Florida team that frankly, wasn’t that good.
LSU then lost again and again and again. A team that was 12-1 was 12-15 and any hope for postseason play had long disappeared.
You could chalk that 12-1 start up to mostly weak opponents. But Arkansas is No. 19 in KenPom, and the Tigers beat a Wake Forest team that won 19 games.
LSU’s lone loss in that stretch was by two points to a Kansas State team that’s 23-9. It really doesn’t make sense. But that’s how Year 1s are sometimes. This was a team with a new coach at a new place that’s never played together before.
This season is now in the rearview mirror. I don’t want to get caught up on diagnosing every issue.
Where does LSU go from here?
There’s sure to be plenty of turnover again. KJ Williams, LSU’s best player, will be gone. He was responsible for so much of LSU’s production this year.
Replacing him in a normal situation will be tough. Replacing him in a rebuild, even tougher.
Murray State transfer KJ Williams is the one dude LSU has who could play for anybody.
Dude is 6-10, 245, shot 41% from 3 this year, averaged 17.4 points, 7.6 boards. Has 10 points on 3-4 FG, 2-3 3s, 2-2 FT in the first 14 minutes tonight.
(This is also his 157th college game.)
— Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_ATH) March 10, 2023
McMahon was hired as a developmental guy. Scott Woodward didn’t turn to the proven Power Five winner like he did with football and baseball. With McMahon, Woodward’s playing the long game and the contract McMahon received reflects that.
McMahon signed three four-stars last cycle: Tyrell Ward, Jalen Reed and Shawn Phillips. That’s LSU’s future core. It’s pivotal that McMahon holds on to them.
If they leave, that’s when I’d start questioning if McMahon is right for this rebuild.
The pieces for improvement are here. You just have to believe McMahon is a guy capable of developing at LSU like he did at Murray State.
You don’t need elite recruiting classes to win in college basketball. Teams have made runs strictly on developing players.
McMahon added a slew of transfers last year and getting their veteran presence back would be nice, but LSU needs to mine talent in the portal, especially at the guard position.
LSU has a couple of top 200 recruits on their way in. Corey Chest and Mike Williams. Based on how McMahon treated the freshmen this year, don’t expect a ton from them next year.
It’s too early to make big declarations on what the roster could look like. This is still a program in flux, and in this era, anything can happen.
This offseason, even more so than last, is critically important for McMahon and staff. Last year was excusable. Finishing last in the SEC again next year won’t be.
This is the new SEC. It doesn’t matter if you’re a football school. Athletic departments with money are expected to be relevant in basketball.
Fans want to see this program competing for conference titles once again.
More Basketball!
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