LSU
Taking a step down was not a surprise for LSU last year, with new head coach Matt McMahon overseeing a bit of a reloading of talent. What was a surprise was seeing the Tigers finish just 2-16 in conference play, a stunning departure after three straight trips to the NCAA Tournament.
Another reloading of talent has taken place in Baton Rouge, but McMahon is hoping that he’s pushed the right buttons this time. The Tigers will be leaning heavily on a slew of transfers, notably point guard Jalen Cook from Tulane, Carlos Stewart from Santa Clara, Will Baker from Nevada, and Jordan Wright of Vanderbilt. This LSU roster will look markedly different this upcoming season, but might have more talent and cohesion than this past year’s team.
We won’t know how this roster comes together until we see them play games, but they have the talent to win in the SEC. McMahon has nabbed some legitimate pieces in the Portal and could have a potential surprise on his hands. All you need to know is that LSU upgraded a few of their starting positions, all while replacing a long list of outgoing talent; we just need to see if it all pays off in the end.