Vanderbilt @ Louisiana State preview
Pete Maravich Assembly Center
Last Meeting ( Feb 5, 2020 ) Louisiana State 90, Vanderbilt 99
Even though LSU has lost its past two games, the Tigers still can secure one of the four double byes in the Southeastern Conference tournament during the final week of the regular season.
Unless the SEC adds makeup games, LSU (14-8, 9-6 SEC) can clinch no worse than fourth place either by defeating Vanderbilt in the Tigers' home finale on Tuesday or winning at Missouri on Saturday.
LSU was tied for second place before a lethargic 91-78 loss at Georgia on Feb. 23 and an 83-75 loss at then-No. 20 Arkansas on Saturday.
The Tigers showed improvement from the first loss to the second one, leading by five points at halftime before the Razorbacks used a 28-8 run to take control in the second half.
"We were locked in and ready to go," LSU coach Will Wade said. "It wasn't an issue where we weren't prepared and didn't play well.
"The first half we played pretty well. We did a great job on the glass, did a good job defending. We made shots in the first half, which allowed us to set our defenses. The second half we just didn't make enough shots to allow us to set our defense or do anything."
Vanderbilt (7-13, 3-11) has been last in the conference all season, but it is coming off a 75-70 upset victory Saturday against Ole Miss on the Commodores' Senior Day.
The Commodores were playing their second consecutive game without their top two scorers -- Scotty Pippen Jr. (20.5 points per game) and Dylan Disu (15 points, 9.2 rebounds). Disu is out for the season because of a knee injury, but Pippen (hip) might be available to oppose LSU.
"I just thought it was a great team effort from everyone," Commodores coach Jerry Stackhouse said after five of his players scored in double figures against the Rebels.
Vanderbilt has been competitive down the stretch in relatively narrow losses to Kentucky, No. 8 Alabama and then-No. 25 Tennessee. Those games were preceded by a 72-51 win at Mississippi State on Feb. 13.
Stackhouse said his team was plagued by an absence of belief until its recent success.
"Confidence comes from actually getting some wins," he said. "(The victory against Ole Miss) is a huge confidence-builder for us to finish up strong and really carry some momentum into the SEC tournament."
--Field Level Media