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LSU Basketball: 2019-20 season preview for the Tigers

By Holden Walter-Warner

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 29: Darius Days #22, Kavell Bigby-Williams #11, Skylar Mays #4, Tremont Waters #3 and Naz Reid #0 of the LSU Tigers huddle together against the Michigan State Spartans during the second half in the East Regional game of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 29, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 29: Darius Days #22, Kavell Bigby-Williams #11, Skylar Mays #4, Tremont Waters #3 and Naz Reid #0 of the LSU Tigers huddle together against the Michigan State Spartans during the second half in the East Regional game of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 29, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /
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WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 29: Skylar Mays #4, Tremont Waters #3 and Naz Reid #0 of the LSU Tigers huddle against the Michigan State Spartans during the first half in the East Regional game of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 29, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 29: Skylar Mays #4, Tremont Waters #3 and Naz Reid #0 of the LSU Tigers huddle against the Michigan State Spartans during the first half in the East Regional game of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 29, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /

After a successful – but controversial – 2018-19 campaign, LSU Basketball looks to turn the page heading into the new season.

The last time LSU Basketball had made the Sweet Sixteen, George W. Bush was the president and Nick Saban was the head coach of the Miami Dolphins.

That changed last season, when Will Wade led the Tigers back to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament. Michigan State spanked LSU in the Sweet Sixteen, but the Tigers did spend a chunk of the season ranked in the AP poll as one of the SEC’s best teams.

The Tigers of 2019-20 will be significantly different from the Tigers of 2018-19. Naz Reid and Tremont Waters both left for the riches of the NBA. Kavell Bigby-Williams graduated. Two players left for personal reasons.

LSU still has the pieces it takes to be a contender in the SEC, though. The local native has the pieces in place to have a memorable senior season. One of the top 20 freshmen in the nation decided to play for Coach Wade, if only for the next few months. The dark cloud hovering over the program last season has partially parted.

A major loss that isn’t being discussed enough is the departure of a steady hand. Tony Benford served as the interim head coach at the end of the season, leading the team in the SEC Tournament and on their NCAA Tournament run before Wade was reinstated in April. Benford left in the offseason to join Jamie Dixon’s staff at TCU (h/t The Dallas Morning News).

Here’s a full season preview for the LSU Tigers.

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