the 19th lowest total in Division
I college basketball. With Mickey
and Martin gone, a trio of
intriguing players will have an
opportunity to step in and fill the
void. Darcy Malone should fill
the center position nicely, mostly
due to hi seven-foot, 240-pound
frame. Next to him is the one of the
more unique prospects in college
basketball, Brian Bridgewater.
At 6-foot-5, 270-pounds,
Bridgewater looks more suited
to playing linebackers for LSU’s
football team than running his
tank-like frame up and down
the basketball court. And behind
him, the Tigers get even bigger
with 7-foot-1, 320-pound Elbert
Robinson III, an intriguing project
due to his giant size and soft touch
around the basket—provided he
can improve on his conditioning
and stay on the court.
distributor. Last year Quarterman
led the team with four assists per
game, working well in transition
and making plays on the move.
Gray has shown flashes of being
an electrifying player whenever
he touches the ball, getting to
the rim where he finishes at 56
percent despite his slender 6-foot-1,
182-pound frame.
This collection of talent
should make LSU one of the most
explosive offensive teams in college
basketball and give the defense
some athleticism, provided they
gel early enough. Last season the
Tigers gave up 67 points per game,
but when accounting for pace and
other advanced metric, LSU was
able to hold opponents to 44.6 eFG
percentage per KenPom.com,
“Simmons figures
to be the
jewel of his
freshman
class.”
With a combination of
elite new prospects and reliable
returning contributors, the Tigers
have an eclectic mix of talent in
which tom compete for the SEC
title. And with Simmons, they
should have the most talented
player on the court on any given
night. However, the loss of Mickey
and Martin figures to take time
to get over, and the lack of an
inside defensive stopper prevents
them from overtaking incumbent
Kentucky in our preseason Top 25.
Photo: Derick E. Hingle - USA TODAY Sports
BBALLBREAKDOWN | 35