Earlier this evening, the LSU Tigers beat Texas A&M thanks to a three point shot by Darrel Mitchell with less than four seconds left in the game. Was this a pretty game? No. But I resist the temptation to call it ugly. A&M has a way of disrupting the other team's rhythm with pressure defense and tough play. This was a great game to watch if you like blocked shots, hustle plays, and low scores.
I didn't see LSU play a game on TV until South Carolina a couple of weeks ago. Due to injury, they were without SEC Freshman of the Year Tyrus Thomas, a shot-blocking and rebounding machine. They gutted out a win. Thomas didn't play again until the first-round NCAA game against Iona. Today's game was the first time I'd seen the regular lineup together, and I thought they looked pretty impressive. Defensively, LSU is very good. They put at least three, maybe four players on the floor together than can block shots and play tight defense one-on-one. Offensively, they try to get to the basket, either by feeding Glen (Big Baby) Davis/Tyrus Thomas or driving with their guards and Tasmin Mitchell. Outside shooting and turnovers are going to kill them against somebody.
That somebody, however, will hopefully not be Duke, the Great Satan. For now, my dream of an LSU/NSU regional final remains intact, and that's good enough.
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