So...now it's time to be nervous about LSU...but I ain't nervous at all. I calmed down after Gonzaga, watching us lead Memphis the entire game. And I'm even calmer going into this game, thinking, in fact, it could be the best game we play of the tourney. Several things have come into focus. First, athletic, high-scoring teams are becoming intimidated by our D and overreacting. Memphis was impatient, and went "playground" on us pretty fast. Their shots "bricked" from the get-go because they already knew we'd be in their face...their answer was to tense up and try too hard.
Everyone in the country now knows that we are not just good on D...we are scary good and that gets in folks' heads. LSU's a young team that also likes to run and gun...they don't know a deliberate tempo and will be, instantly, out of their element when they realize that, with every possession, they will need time to find an open look.
So...what about Big Baby? We're not going to play run and gun, so the next best thing is to rotate our big guys and make sure they run the floor like jackrabbits. Our D will already make him press, but we've got to take his legs away and make him tired. We also do that by bodying him up high and DT'ing him mercilessly. With our quickness, we can do this and still rotate to the ball when it's kicked out. So, we run him down and beat him up and take him out of his game. If we do that, their game will become unidimenisional, and, I guarantee you, hurried. There is a big tempatation methinks, for teams to look at us as smallish and somewhat slow afoot, especially with our offense that takes its time to get a hoop. So...their first inclination is to run, shoot fast, and ignore a set offense...this, of course, plays into our hands...............
...I say we win handily.
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