LSU Basketball: 2019-20 keys for Tigers to bounce back against Auburn

Defend The Paint

If there’s any one thing that can easily be blamed for LSU’s loss on Wednesday, it’s the defense. Giving up 99 points is always an indicator of a poor performance, but you have to play particularly badly to allow 99 points to Vanderbilt. The fact that they did that while allowing Vandy to shoot 74.2% from inside the arc makes it an embarrassing effort. It’s also exactly the type of effort that LSU can’t repeat on Saturday if they are going to beat Auburn on the road.

While Vanderbilt has been very good finishing inside the arc this season, Auburn has been one of the best teams in the country this season in that regard. 53.9% conversion rate is the 25th best mark in the country and is something that could give LSU a lot of trouble.

LSU’s performance on Wednesday night dropped them to 99th in 2-point defense, allowing opponents to make 47.2% of their shots inside the arc. That’s a solid number for the season, but they’ve now allowed four of their last five opponents to shoot above 60% from 2. That is a troubling trend when you are about to go and face an Auburn team that has feasted inside the 3 point line this season.

I believe LSU’s defensive strategy in this game needs to be defending the paint at all costs. Auburn doesn’t really have shooters who are going to pose too much of a threat from outside and the team is only shooting 30.9% from outside this season.

There’s always the chance that Auburn gets hot from outside in front of a hometown crowd, but I believe that’s going to be a risk that LSU is going to need to take to keep Auburn from getting whatever they want in the lane.

If LSU can force Auburn to become a 3-point shooting team, then they have a great chance to win this game.