LSU Basketball: 2020-21 season preview for the Tigers

By Ben Dickson | Nov 24, 2020

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 15: Head coach Will Wade of the LSU Tigers celebrates after his team made a basket late in the second half their game against the Saint Mary's Gaels at T-Mobile Arena on December 15, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. LSU defeated Saint Mary's 78-74. (Photo by Sam Wasson/Getty Images) /

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LSU Basketball (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

Schedule Breakdown

Nov. 26 – SIU Edwardsville (in Saint Louis)

Nov. 28 – at Saint Louis

Nov. 30 – Southeastern Louisiana

Dec. 6 – Louisiana Tech

Dec. 12 – South Florida (in Atlanta)

Dec. 16 – New Orleans

Dec. 19 – North Texas

Dec. 22 – Virginia Commonwealth

Jan. 30 – Texas Tech (Big 12/SEC Challenge)

Dec. 29-Mar. 2 – SEC Conference Play

LSU head coach Will Wade put together a pretty strong non-conference schedule for this upcoming season. Before we dive in to the specifics, each schedule in college hoops this year should be taken with a grain of salt. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, games will be cancelled, postponed, and added on the fly.

In terms of the strength of schedule here, LSU should have a number of opportunities to pick up marquee wins. The best opportunity will be at home against Chris Beard’s Texas Tech Red Raiders on January 30th. The game will pit the Tigers and the preseason #14 team in the country.

Texas Tech clocked in at fifth in the Big 12 preseason poll but ranks 6th in the nation per KenPom. To read about Texas Tech, check out Tristan’s preview on the Red Raiders. This will be a winnable game at home for LSU against one of the best teams the nation has to offer.

The other marquee game on LSU’s non-conference schedule is a road game at Saint Louis. The Billikens, ranked 45th preseason per KenPom, provide a great opportunity for LSU to pick up a Quadrant I road victory. Saint Louis is a team, similar to A-10 foe Dayton last year, that can end as one of the top mid-major teams in the country despite being unranked in the preseason.

The Tigers also will have a couple top-100 non-conference games with VCU and South Florida. Louisiana Tech and North Texas are also sitting right outside the top-100 teams in the nation. LSU should be favored to win each of its non-conference games with the exception of Texas Tech.

Looking at its conference schedule, there is reason to believe that LSU could win its second conference championship in three years. The Tigers face Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia and Texas A&M twice. The only teams they will play strictly on the road are Missouri, Kentucky, Mississippi State and Ole Miss, while playing the unmentioned teams only at home.

Road games will be nowhere near as difficult this year due to the limited fan situation because of the coronavirus. LSU is lucky to only play Tennessee and Kentucky, picked #1 and #2 in the SEC preseason poll, once each. Having two less tough games will be a crucial help to LSU’s search of the conference title.

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