Well first of all I will be there I've only missed one home game this season and it was a non-conference game. Frontcourt:Bama has a good frontcourt w/ Chuck Davis avg. 14.5 pts & 7.1 rebs. Jamerio Davidson avg 8.4 pts & 8.2 rebs. They matchup good with Bass 17.5 pts & 8.6 rebs. and Davis 13.2 pts. & 8.7 rebs. Since this game is at home we should get the calls keeping them in more foul trouble than us. Advantage:LSU Backcourt: Kennedy Winston is probally the best swingman in the league w/ 17.5 pts & Earnest Shelton puts up 16.9 pts a night. Both can really shoot the 3. At point guard they have a freshman Ronald Steele avg. 7.9 pts & 5.1 ast. LSU counters that w/ Antonio Hudson 13.2 pts & D. Mitch w/ 13.3 pts. Tack is putting up 10.9 pts & 5.2 ast. The tigers will have problems guarding Winston. LSU's guards really need to hit the 3's tuesday night. Advantage:Bama Bench: Both Bama & LSU play about 8 people a game. Neither team has a real spark plug off the bench. But as far as points wise of the bench Bama will lead in that category. But Whipple could be the x factor if he can come off the bench and lock down Shelton or Winston as he did against UF. Advantage:Even Itangibles:LSU is coming off a huge week, beating MSU & UF. This should be the biggest home crowd of the year and I expect the place to be rocking. Alabama has struggeled on the road this season against good teams. They won 102-101 in ot @ Charlotte @ Vandy loss 70-56 @ UF loss 85-54 @ Wisconsin loss 76-62 and beat Ole Miss Auburn and Arkansas all by less than 10. The Tigers will be pumped after losing earlier in the season @ Bama and w/ the game being on national tv. Advantage: LSU What will happen:Bass & Davis will be to much for Bama to handle down low. LSU will again get a huge contribution at the FT line. Bama's perimeter will play well but some solid D adjustment will slow them down. While LSU's perimeter will hit there open 3's and meet the Canes challenge of 7 3's. Final Score:LSU 72 Alabama 63
I think Alabama may be looking ahead to their UK game on Saturday, if only because of Bama hubris! The Red Elephants have a tough game at Starkville to boot. That is three potential, likely(?), losses in the last four. Meanwhile, Team Frustrating has the ability to sweep the remaining four games and win the West outright. We have the horses to do this with ease, too. However, without someone pulling the reigns in on Tack, substitution patterns on the road that are baffling, and lacking the bench leadership to take charge and win in Oxpatch and Auburn, I see the great possibilty of a 1-3 finish, coupled with a 1-and-done in Atlanta. Brady teams (non-Swift catagory) have a record of blowing opportunites like this on a regular basis. (Yes, I saw the Florida game and it was great win over a bunch of thugs. However, this was at home. The inability to take that play and reproduce it on the road has been the hallmark of this year's team.) The SEC will place 5 teams in the tournament. UK, Alabama, Florida are in. LSU finishes 3-1, regardless of Atlanta, and secures a bid. However, a 1-3 dud, and we could be battling South Carolina, and State for the last spot. Don't discount State, if they finish strong and win two in Atlanta, the NCAA will factor Frazier's injury into the equation. If the SEC bubble teams flounder as a whole and the lower tier ACC and Big XII teams pick it up, the league could see just four teams dancing.
im not saying you're wrong, but refresh my memory of "blowing opportunities" under brady. last year lloreda left--the collapse had little to do with coaching, and is unlikely to happen to this team. the year before, i think we finished on a great run-including 2 sec tourney wins. that's two of seven seasons, 2000 was not a blown opportunity (well, in some ways I guess, but not really), and his first couple seasons there was little talent and never really had a shot. so, 5 of seven from my memory dont seem to have been blown opportunities.
In the previous four season, LSU has an 18-22 record in the last 10 games of each seasons, including the tremendous finish in 2002. Take that season out LSU oh-fer in the last two national tournaments, both blow out loses. Blown opportunites are going to Knoxville and getting drilled by a garbage Volunteer team, allowing Arkansas' crowd to factor into the game late, losing to Houston and Southern Miss--- the CUSA bottom feeders. If LSU played with any consistency wins over Florida, South Carolina,and MSU (X2) would not be a shock. This Tiger team has the ability to beat Alabama, Auburn, Ole Miss, Vandy AND win the West outright. This Tiger team, however, does not have the leadership from the bench to ensure it will happen. Great coaches coach great teams. LSU can do better (I have season tickets and I make the drive. LSU is my team and pull 110% for Brady, but he is a disappointment).
im not sure id agree about the loss at UT, and i definately disagree about the loss at ark. i dont really care about the losses to UH and USM. UH is not a bottom feeder (6th place out of 14-with decent rpi). they were growing pains---mostly tack learning to take coaching and davis adjustment. btw. if we win out, we win the west bama must lose but not to just anyone, must be to msu or lose two
