LSU Tigers 2015-16 Season Preview

LSU Tigers

2014-2015 Record: 22-11 (11-7, SEC)
NCAA Tournament – Lost to NC State 66-65 in the Round of 64

So why should LSU Tigers’ fans feel optimistic about how things are coming together in the Bayou for their hoop program?

Because Tigers’ head coach Johnny Jones showed his worth as a salesman and recruited a Top 3 freshman class to play for him, and has the No.1 player of the recruiting class to be the star of the show.

6-foot-10, 225 pound forward Ben Simmons is widely regarded as the best freshman prospect in the land though Kentucky’s Skal Labissiere and Duke’s Brandon Ingram may have something to say about that.

Simmons will join up with upperclassman Keith Hornsby and Tim Quarterman to be the Tigers’ “Big Three” and make a run at the SEC Title that is going to be hard to snatch from the grasp of the Kentucky Wildcats.

Even if they do not take the SEC crown, they have the ability to close the gap between themselves and John Calipari’s juggernaut, while making their case for an NCAA Tournament bid.

Newcomers

G – Antonio Blakeney (#16 2247Sports Composite)
G – Brandon Sampson (#53 247Sports Composite)
F – Ben Simmons (#1 247Sports Composite)
F – Craig Victor (Tranfer from Arizona/New Orleans, LA)

Key Non-Conference Games

Nov. 23 vs. Marquette (Legends Classic) – Marquette is going to be competitive because head coach Steve Wojciechowski is going to make sure they compete.

The Golden Eagles lost leading scorer Matt Carlino to graduation, but they will gain transfer Wally Ellenson to go along with center Luke Fischer and guard Duane Wilson.

This game is going to be played at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. as part of the Legends Classic.

LSU will then have the opportunity to take on the winner or loser of the NC State vs Arizona State game.

Mark Gottfried’s NC State Wolfpack are projected to be a Top 10 team in the ACC and are coming off of a Sweet 16 appearance.

Arizona State is coached by Bobby Hurley this season, and he has a team that can potentially make noise in the PAC-12 led by Gerry Blakes and Savon Goodman.

The Tigers will be able to play a lot of tournament caliber competition while they are in Brooklyn.

Key Players

Ben Simmons – Ben Simmons is 6-foot-10 with handles, length, shooting touch, he is basically the whole package.

He is seen as the top freshman in the land and is projected to be the No.1 pick of the 2016 NBA Draft.

With the kind of talent and versatility that he brings to the basketball court, he could be the type of player that changes the fortunes of a team immediately.

You can’t say he is going to have the same impact as Carmelo Anthony did back in 2002-03, but Simmons is the type of player that could take LSU deep into the March Madness bracket if they get the right draw.

He is going to be more than a potent scorer, he is going to be a potent all-around player, a stat-stuffer!

Tim Quarterman- The 6-foot-6 shooting guard is going to benefit from the presence of Ben Simmons a great deal.

Quarterman already showed that he had a pretty balanced game in his own right putting up 11.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.0 assists last season.

If he becomes more efficient, which he should given the talent he is going to be playing with this season, LSU is going to easily have one of the best one-two punches in the SEC.

Tim Quarterman is seen as a potential First Round draft pick in the NBA Draft next season if he declares.

Live Feed

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Season Outlook

The LSU Tigers are bound for the NCAA Tournament, but it is ultimately about closing the gap between them and Kentucky when it comes to conference play.

Though a lot of people may feel that Texas A&M is going to end up being the second best team in the SEC, LSU has just as good a chance to claim that spot and should be able to give the new look Kentucky Wildcats a run for their money.

LSU’s fortunes hinge on how quick Ben Simmons, Antonio Blakeney, Tim Quarterman and Keith Hornsby are able to mesh their games together.

Johnny Jones should be able to develop a deep rotation with a lot of versatility. If he gets their team chemistry together fast enough, the SEC Conference could be on high alert.

In the end, a tournament bid and a Sweet 16 appearance is not out of the realm of possibility.

Next: VCU Rams 2015-16 Season Preview

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LSU Basketball: LSU Tigers 2015-16 Season Preview

By James Fitzgerald | Oct 30, 2015