Final Four, Baby!
Posted by: Bradley McDonald
As we like to say down here in Cajun-French accents - "how 'bout dem Tigahs?"
LSU muscled it's way past Texas to reach it's first Final Four since 1986. The game wasn't very pretty offensively and it took overtime to do it, but the Tigers are on their way to Indianapolis to face UCLA for a chance to play in the National Championship Game!
LSU held Texas to 30% shooting for the game, a couple of days after holding Duke to 27%. It seems like it took these boys about half the season to learn how to play defense, but when it finally clicked, their athleticism and tenacity and the defensive end has just been unbelievable.
Earlier in the season, LSU lost close games to good teams and you could see during those games there were times when the players didn't know when to switch off on pick and rolls and when to rotate on defense. But then the young guys (LSU starts three freshman and a sophomore) figured it out and they went 14-2 in the SEC.
Usually guard oriented teams are the ones that go deep into the tournament, but LSU is definitely an anomaly there. Their starting point guard was lost for the season early on, and shooting guard Darrell Mitchell had to take over. He's done a good job, but it's clear he belongs at the two spot. The boys down low are the reason LSU has made it this far. Glen "Big Baby" Davis is a 300 pound big man who has the quick feet of a guard and Tyrus Thomas can jump out of the gym.
They are definitely peaking at the right times and you can tell they are hungry for more. As super sophomore Glen Davis put it, "we've got tapeworms in our stomachs." They are sure playing like they want more.
Geaux Tigers!
As we like to say down here in Cajun-French accents - "how 'bout dem Tigahs?"
LSU muscled it's way past Texas to reach it's first Final Four since 1986. The game wasn't very pretty offensively and it took overtime to do it, but the Tigers are on their way to Indianapolis to face UCLA for a chance to play in the National Championship Game!
LSU held Texas to 30% shooting for the game, a couple of days after holding Duke to 27%. It seems like it took these boys about half the season to learn how to play defense, but when it finally clicked, their athleticism and tenacity and the defensive end has just been unbelievable.
Earlier in the season, LSU lost close games to good teams and you could see during those games there were times when the players didn't know when to switch off on pick and rolls and when to rotate on defense. But then the young guys (LSU starts three freshman and a sophomore) figured it out and they went 14-2 in the SEC.
Usually guard oriented teams are the ones that go deep into the tournament, but LSU is definitely an anomaly there. Their starting point guard was lost for the season early on, and shooting guard Darrell Mitchell had to take over. He's done a good job, but it's clear he belongs at the two spot. The boys down low are the reason LSU has made it this far. Glen "Big Baby" Davis is a 300 pound big man who has the quick feet of a guard and Tyrus Thomas can jump out of the gym.
They are definitely peaking at the right times and you can tell they are hungry for more. As super sophomore Glen Davis put it, "we've got tapeworms in our stomachs." They are sure playing like they want more.
Geaux Tigers!
