North Florida @ Louisiana State preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 18, 2016 ) North Florida 70, Louisiana State 78

Skylar Mays does a little bit of everything for LSU, which will play its final non-conference home game Thursday against North Florida. The 6-4 guard from Baton Rouge, La., has been filling up the stat sheet lately for the Tigers, who will meet with the Ospreys for the third time in as many seasons.

After a bit of a slow start, Mays has averaged 15 points, four rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.6 steals over the last six games for LSU, which closes its non-conference schedule next week at Memphis. The sophomore had 13 points, five assists and four steals as the Tigers rebounded from a loss to Stephen F. Austin to defeat Sam Houston on Tuesday. "I was able to get my hand on balls and create offense off it," Mays told the media of his season-high four steals. "I think as a team, we are at our best when we turn defense into offense. I try to lead by example." The Ospreys paid the price for scheduling up as they started 1-7 before righting the ship by winning four of their next six games under coach Matthew Driscoll.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, SEC Plus

ABOUT NORTH FLORIDA (5-9): Noah Horchler has had great month of December for the Ospreys as the sophomore recorded four double-doubles while averaging 13.6 points and 12.4 rebounds. The 6-8 forward, who has twice been named the Atlantic Sun Newcomer of the Week, just missed two other double-doubles, including one to close the month of November. Ivan Gandia-Rosa runs the show for the Ospreys and the sophomore guard posted a double-double with 13 points and 10 assists in Tuesday's loss to Ball State.

ABOUT LSU (7-3): Tremont Waters will not win Freshman of the Year, not with the likes of Oklahoma's Trae Young and Duke's Marvin Bagley III doing amazing things, but his impact on the Tigers has been every bit important. The 5-11 guard from Connecticut has averaged 17.2 points, 5.9 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 2.3 steals all while providing stellar defense for coach Will Wade, whose team needs three wins to equal its total from last season. Among Waters' exploits this season are a 39-point game against Marquette and finishing one rebound shy of a triple-double against UNC Wilmington.

TIP-INS

1. After Waters and Mays, who each average better than 30 minutes, the Tigers have seven players who log between 17 and 21.8 minutes per game, led by Wayde Sims and Duop Reath.

2. The Tigers defeated the Ospreys 78-70 last season and 119-108 in 2015.

3. Garrett Sams and J.T. Escobar also averaged double figures for the Ospreys, and along with Gandia-Rosa, shoot better than 40 percent from beyond the arc.

PREDICTION: LSU 89, North Florida 81