SEC Basketball Preview/Prediction: LSU at Texas

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LSU visits Texas on Saturday in a key Big 12-SEC basketball matchup. Look inside for a preview of the game along with a prediction of the game’s final score.

By 14Powers Hoops

Team Statistical Comparison

	FG%	3PT%	FT%	ORB	TRB	AST	STL	BLK	TO
LSU	0.480	0.312	0.764	222	721	247	118	81	247
LSU OPP	0.406	0.341	0.715	199	588	227	118	49	237
Texas	0.434	0.336	0.647	171	601	250	100	84	244
Texas OPP	0.415	0.331	0.638	203	646	176	117	44	252

Statistical Leaders

LSU Scoring Leaders

PLAYER	TEAM	PPG	FGM	FTM	3PTM
PLAYER	TEAM	PPG	FGM	FTM	3PTM
Skylar Mays	LSU	16.1	99	65	26
Emmitt Williams	LSU	13.7	92	59	4
Trendon Watford	LSU	12.7	84	51	10
Darius Days	LSU	11.8	79	34	21
Javonte Smart	LSU	11.8	77	32	26
Charles Manning Jr.	LSU	8.0	53	13	9
Aundre Hyatt	LSU	1.9	12	2	8

LSU Rebounding Leaders

PLAYER	TEAM	OR	DR	TR	RPG
PLAYER	TEAM	OR	DR	TR	RPG
Darius Days	LSU	54	91	145	8.1
Trendon Watford	LSU	38	85	123	6.8
Emmitt Williams	LSU	48	71	119	6.6
Skylar Mays	LSU	11	74	85	4.7
Javonte Smart	LSU	12	51	63	3.5
Charles Manning Jr.	LSU	9	40	49	3.1
Aundre Hyatt	LSU	6	32	38	2.1
Marlon Taylor	LSU	12	20	32	4.0
Courtese Cooper	LSU	4	9	13	1.9
James Bishop	LSU	1	3	4	0.3
Marshall Graves	LSU	0	4	4	0.4

Texas Scoring Leaders

PLAYER	TEAM	PPG	FGM	FTM	3PTM
PLAYER	TEAM	PPG	FGM	FTM	3PTM
Matt Coleman III	Texas	12.2	79	31	30
Courtney Ramey	Texas	10.7	75	19	24
Jase Febres	Texas	10.4	61	18	47
Andrew Jones	Texas	10.3	67	19	32
Jericho Sims	Texas	9.3	72	24	0
Gerald Liddell	Texas	4.4	25	12	4
Kamaka Hepa	Texas	3.1	18	0	11
Kai Jones	Texas	2.9	18	6	2
Royce Hamm Jr.	Texas	2.1	13	10	0
Donovan Williams	Texas	2.1	12	3	4
Will Baker	Texas	0.9	6	1	1

Texas Rebounding Leaders

PLAYER	TEAM	OR	DR	TR	RPG
PLAYER	TEAM	OR	DR	TR	RPG
Jericho Sims	Texas	52	88	140	7.8
Courtney Ramey	Texas	11	71	82	4.6
Matt Coleman III	Texas	16	44	60	3.3
Gerald Liddell	Texas	13	37	50	3.3
Jase Febres	Texas	8	35	43	2.4
Andrew Jones	Texas	4	36	40	2.2
Kai Jones	Texas	12	28	40	2.7
Royce Hamm Jr.	Texas	6	25	31	1.8
Kamaka Hepa	Texas	7	19	26	1.7
Will Baker	Texas	8	13	21	1.4
Donovan Williams	Texas	3	7	10	0.7
Brock Cunningham	Texas	2	0	2	0.3

NCAA RPI

LSU: 23

Texas: 68

Scouting Report

Texas (12-6, 2-4 Big 12) on Monday lost at West Virginia 97-59. The Longhorns also have losses to Kansas (66-57 home), Oklahoma (72-62 Home), Baylor (59-44 Away), Cal (62-45 Neutral) and Providence (70-48 Away). Guard Matt Coleman II (12.2 ppg) is the Longhorn’s top scorer. Courtney Ramey (10.7 ppg), Jase Febres (10.4 ppg) and Andrew Jones (10.3 ppg) are the team’s other double digit scorers. Six-foot-9, 240 pound Jericho Sims leads Texas in rebounding pulling down an average of nearly eight a game. The Horns hit 43.4% of their field goals, 33.6% of their 3-pointers and 64% of free throws.

LSU (14-4, 6-0 SEC) defeated Florida 84-82 on Tuesday in Baton Rouge. The Tigers were co-led in scoring by Keyontae Johnson and Noah Locke, each with 16 points. LSU trailed in that game 36-34 at the half but as we’ve seen in many games this season the Tigers got it done at the end. With 31 seconds remaining the Tigers were clinging to an 81-80 lead. Skylar Mays made three straight free throws and then seal the victory for the Tigers. The Tigers have losses to VCU (84-82 Road), Utah State (80-78 Neutral), East Tennessee St. (74-63 Home), and (USC 74-57 Neutral). LSU as a team shoots 48% from the field, 31.2% from 3-point range, and 76.4% from the line. Mays leads the Tigers in scoring average 16.1 points per game. Darius Days paces the Tigers in rebounding averaging over eight boards a game.

This is an important game for both LSU and the SEC. If the Tigers lose in Austin it will drop the SEC’s stock value and NCAA tourney appeal. We go with the Tigers here. They have a knack for winning of late and have the horses to get the job done. They will mimic what their school’s champion football team did a couple months ago, knock of the Longhorns in Austin.

LSU-Texas Prediction

LSU 72, Texas 68

Saturday’s game tips off at 2:00 p.m. ET (1 p.m. CT). TV: ESPN.