2019–20 LSU Tigers basketball team

2019–20 LSU Tigers basketball
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
Record21–10 (12–6 SEC)
Head coach
Assistant coaches
Home arenaPete Maravich Assembly Center
Seasons
2019–20 Southeastern Conference men's basketball standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
No. 8 Kentucky 15 – 3   .833 25 – 6   .806
No. 20 Auburn 12 – 6   .667 25 – 6   .806
LSU 12 – 6   .667 21 – 10   .677
Mississippi State 11 – 7   .611 20 – 11   .645
Florida 11 – 7   .611 19 – 12   .613
South Carolina 10 – 8   .556 18 – 13   .581
Texas A&M 10 – 8   .556 16 – 14   .533
Tennessee 9 – 9   .500 17 – 14   .548
Alabama 8 – 10   .444 16 – 15   .516
Arkansas 7 – 11   .389 20 – 12   .625
Missouri 7 – 11   .389 15 – 16   .484
Ole Miss 6 – 12   .333 15 – 17   .469
Georgia 5 – 13   .278 16 – 16   .500
Vanderbilt 3 – 15   .167 11 – 21   .344
Note: The 2020 SEC tournament was canceled after the first round due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rankings from AP poll

The 2019–20 LSU Tigers basketball team represented Louisiana State University during the 2019–20 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The team's head coach was Will Wade, in his third season at LSU. They played their home games at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, as a member of the Southeastern Conference. They finished the season 21–10, 12–6 in SEC play to finish in a tie for second place. They were set to be the No. 3 seed in the SEC tournament with a bye to the quarterfinals. However, the SEC Tournament and all other postseason tournaments were cancelled amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Previous season

The Tigers finished the 2018–19 season 28–7, 16–2 in SEC play to finish as regular season SEC champions. They lost in the Quarterfinals of the SEC tournament to Florida. The Tigers received an invitation to the NCAA tournament where they defeated Yale in the First Round and Maryland in the Second Round before losing to Michigan State in the Sweet Sixteen. Head coach Will Wade was briefly suspended at the end of the season due to NCAA concerns.

Offseason

Departures

Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Reason for departure
Naz Reid 0 F 6'10" 240 Freshman Asbury Park, NJ Declare for 2019 NBA draft
Tremont Waters 3 G 5'11" 167 Sophomore New Haven, CT Declare for 2019 NBA draft
Daryl Edwards 5 G 6'3" 165 Junior Fresno, CA Left the team for personal reasons
Noah Thomas 10 G 6'4" 185 Freshman Cypress, TX Walk-on; left the team for personal reasons
Kavell Bigby-Williams 11 F 6'11" 230 RS Senior London, England Graduated
Will Reese 13 G 6'4" 190 RS Sophomore Leesville, LA Walk-on; didn't return
Danya Kingsby 20 G 6'1" 165 Junior Milwaukee, WI Transferred to Bradley

Incoming transfers

Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Previous School
Parker Edwards 3 G 6'3" 195 Sophomore Mandeville, LA Southeastern Louisiana
Charles Manning, Jr. 11 G 6'5" 180 Junior Riverhead, NY Florida Southwestern State
Caleb Starks 20 G 6'4" 195 Junior Lafayette, IN LSU-Eunice

2019 recruiting class

College recruiting information
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
Trendon Watford
PF 		Mountain Brook, AL Mountain Brook High School 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 210 lb (95 kg) May 20, 2019 
Star ratings: Scout:5/5 stars   Rivals:5/5 stars   247Sports:5/5 stars    ESPN:5/5 stars
James Bishop
SG 		Baltimore, MD Mount St. Joseph High School 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 170 lb (77 kg) Sep 18, 2018 
Star ratings: Scout:4/5 stars   Rivals:4/5 stars   247Sports:3/5 stars    ESPN:4/5 stars
Overall recruiting rankings:
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "LSU 2019 Basketball Commitments". Rivals.com. Retrieved August 18, 2019.
  • "2019 LSU Basketball Commits". Scout.com. Retrieved August 18, 2019.
  • "ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved August 18, 2019.
  • "Scout.com Team Recruiting Rankings". Scout.com. Retrieved August 18, 2019.
  • "2019 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved August 18, 2019.

2020 recruiting class

College recruiting information (2020)
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
Jalen Cook
PG 		Walker, LA Walker High School 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Jun 18, 2019 
Star ratings: Scout:3/5 stars   Rivals:3/5 stars   247Sports:3/5 stars    ESPN:3/5 stars
Overall recruiting rankings:
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

Preseason

SEC media poll

The SEC media poll was released on October 15, 2019.[1]

Media poll
Predicted finish Team
1 Kentucky
2 Florida
3 LSU
4 Auburn
5 Tennessee
6 Alabama
7 Mississippi State
8 Ole Miss
9 Georgia
10 South Carolina
11 Arkansas
12 Texas A&M
13 Missouri
14 Vanderbilt

Preseason All-SEC teams

The Tigers had one player selected to the preseason all-SEC teams.

Roster

2019–20 LSU Tigers men's basketball team
Players Coaches
Pos. # Name Height Weight Year Previous school Hometown
F 0 Darius Days 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 240 lb (109 kg) So IMG Academy Raleigh, FL
G 1 Javonte Smart 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 205 lb (93 kg) So Scotlandville Magnet HS Baton Rouge, LA
F 2 Trendon Watford 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 235 lb (107 kg) Fr Mountain Brook HS Birmingham, AL
G 3 Parker Edwards (W) Current redshirt 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) So Southeastern Louisiana Mandeville, LA
G 4 Skylar Mays 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Sr Findlay Prep Baton Rouge, LA
F 5 Emmitt Williams 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 230 lb (104 kg) So Oak Ridge HS Fort Myers, FL
G 10 James Bishop 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Fr Mount Saint Joseph HS Baltimore, MD
G 11 Charles Manning Jr. 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 200 lb (91 kg) Jr Florida SouthWestern State College Riverhead, NY
G 12 Marshall Graves 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Sr LSU Laboratory School Ponchatoula, LA
G 14 Marlon Taylor 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Sr Panola College Mount Vernon, NY
F 15 Aundre Hyatt 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 225 lb (102 kg) RS Fr Miller School The Bronx, NY
G 20 Caleb Starks (W) 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Jr LSU-Eunice Lafayette, LA
F 21 Courtese Cooper 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 220 lb (100 kg) RS So Triton College Elgin, IL
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • (W) Walk-on

Roster
Last update: October 12, 2019

Schedule and results

Date
time, TV 		Rank# Opponent# Result Record High points High rebounds High assists Site (attendance)
city, state
Exhibition
November 2, 2019*
4:00 pm 		No. 22 at Louisiana Tech
Hoops 4 Disaster Relief 		W 83–70 
 18 – Smart   10 – Watford   4 – Tied  Thomas Assembly Center (6,832)
Ruston, LA
Regular season
November 8, 2019*
7:00 pm, SECN+ 		No. 22 Bowling Green W 88–79  1–0
  21 – Tied   8 – Smart   5 – Smart  Pete Maravich Assembly Center (9,622)
Baton Rouge, LA
November 13, 2019*
5:00 pm, ESPN2 		No. 23 at VCU L 82–84  1–1
  23 – Mays   8 – Mays   3 – Tied  Siegel Center (7,637)
Richmond, VA
November 16, 2019*
3:00 pm, SECN+ 		No. 23 Nicholls W 75–65  2–1
  18 – Mays   12 – Williams   5 – Smart  Pete Maravich Assembly Center (8,833)
Baton Rouge, LA
November 19, 2019*
6:00 pm, SECN 		UMBC W 77–50  3–1
  16 – Manning Jr.   12 – Watford   4 – Bishop  Pete Maravich Assembly Center (8,783)
Baton Rouge, LA
November 22, 2019*
6:00 pm, CBSSN 		vs. No. 15 Utah State
Jersey Mike's Jamaica Classic 		L 78–80  3–2
  30 – Mays   8 – Williams   4 – Smart  Montego Bay Convention Centre (1,452)
Montego Bay, Jamaica
November 24, 2019*
1:30 pm, CBSSN 		vs. Rhode Island
Jersey Mike's Jamaica Classic 		W 96–83  4–2
  27 – Williams   9 – Tied   6 – Tied  Montego Bay Convention Centre 
Montego Bay, Jamaica
November 29, 2019*
7:00 pm, SECN+ 		Missouri State W 73–58  5–2
  20 – Days   10 – Days   9 – Smart  Pete Maravich Assembly Center (9,892)
Baton Rouge, LA
December 3, 2019*
7:00 pm, SECN 		New Orleans W 90–54  6–2
  18 – Tied   10 – Tied   8 – Smart  Pete Maravich Assembly Center (8,608)
Baton Rouge, LA
December 8, 2019*
4:00 pm, SECN 		Northwestern State W 109–59  7–2
  17 – Smart   10 – Williams   3 – Tied  Pete Maravich Assembly Center (9,483)
Baton Rouge, LA
December 18, 2019*
7:00 pm, SECN 		East Tennessee State L 63–74  7–3
  16 – Williams   11 – Williams   7 – Smart  Pete Maravich Assembly Center (8,556)
Baton Rouge, LA
December 21, 2019*
8:00 pm, FS1 		vs. USC
Basketball Hall of Fame Classic 		L 68–70  7–4
  21 – Mays   11 – Days   4 – Tied  Staples Center (8,296)
Los Angeles, CA
December 29, 2019*
2:00 pm, SECN 		Liberty W 74–57  8–4
  14 – Days   8 – Watford   6 – Smart  Pete Maravich Assembly Center (9,193)
Baton Rouge, LA
January 4, 2020
11:00 am, ESPNU 		at Tennessee W 78–64  9–4
(1–0) 		 21 – Smart   11 – Days   4 – Smart  Thompson–Boling Arena (18,653)
Knoxville, TN
January 8, 2020
8:00 pm, ESPNU 		Arkansas W 79–77  10–4
(2–0) 		 21 – Watford   16 – Days   3 – Tied  Pete Maravich Assembly Center (8,662)
Baton Rouge, LA
January 11, 2020
7:00 pm, ESPN 		Mississippi State W 60–59  11–4
(3–0) 		 17 – Williams   8 – Days   6 – Smart  Pete Maravich Assembly Center (10,364)
Baton Rouge, LA
January 14, 2020
7:00 pm, SECN 		at Texas A&M W 89–85 OT 12–4
(4–0) 		 19 – Tied   11 – Watford   8 – Mays  Reed Arena (7,068)
College Station, TX
January 18, 2020
7:00 pm, ESPN2 		at Ole Miss W 80–76  13–4
(5–0) 		 20 – Smart   10 – Watford   4 – Mays  The Pavilion at Ole Miss (8,043)
Oxford, MS
January 21, 2020
6:00 pm, SECN 		Florida W 84–82  14–4
(6–0) 		 19 – Williams   11 – Taylor   7 – Tied  Pete Maravich Assembly Center (10,479)
Baton Rouge, LA
January 25, 2020*
1:00 pm, ESPN 		at Texas
Big 12/SEC Challenge 		W 69–67  15–4
  22 – Watford   7 – Tied   5 – Mays  Frank Erwin Center (11,287)
Austin, TX
January 29, 2020
6:00 pm, ESPN2 		No. 22 Alabama W 90–76  16–4
(7–0) 		 23 – Williams   15 – Watford   4 – Smart  Pete Maravich Assembly Center (10,871)
Baton Rouge, LA
February 1, 2020
11:00 am, ESPN2 		No. 22 Ole Miss W 73–63  17–4
(8–0) 		 21 – Smart   11 – Taylor   3 – Smart  Pete Maravich Assembly Center (11,112)
Baton Rouge, LA
February 5, 2020
8:00 pm, SECN 		No. 18 at Vanderbilt L 90–99  17–5
(8–1) 		 26 – Watford   11 – Williams   3 – Tied  Memorial Gymnasium (9,256)
Nashville, TN
February 8, 2020
11:00 am, ESPN 		No. 18 at No. 11 Auburn L 90–91 OT 17–6
(8–2) 		 30 – Mays   7 – Tied   8 – Mays  Auburn Arena (9,121)
Auburn, AL
February 11, 2020
8:00 pm, SECN 		No. 25 Missouri W 82–78  18–6
(9–2) 		 23 – Mays   10 – Days   2 – Tied  Pete Maravich Assembly Center (10,990)
Baton Rouge, LA
February 15, 2020
3:00 pm, ESPN2 		No. 25 at Alabama L 82–88  18–7
(9–3) 		 24 – Mays   10 – Williams   4 – Smart  Coleman Coliseum (12,479)
Tuscaloosa, AL
February 18, 2020
8:00 pm, ESPN 		No. 10 Kentucky L 76–79  18–8
(9–4) 		 17 – Mays   11 – Days   7 – Smart  Pete Maravich Assembly Center (13,260)
Baton Rouge, LA
February 22, 2020
5:00 pm, ESPN2 		at South Carolina W 86–80  19–8
(10–4) 		 18 – Tied   10 – Watford   6 – Mays  Colonial Life Arena (15,979)
Columbia, SC
February 26, 2020
8:00 pm, ESPN2 		at Florida L 66–81  19–9
(10–5) 		 25 – Williams   11 – Watford   2 – Tied  O'Connell Center (10,002)
Gainesville, FL
February 29, 2020
11:00 am, ESPN2 		Texas A&M W 64–50  20–9
(11–5) 		 24 – Mays   8 – Mays   3 – Tied  Pete Maravich Assembly Center (13,215)
Baton Rouge, LA
March 4, 2020
6:00 pm, SECN 		at Arkansas L 90–99  20–10
(11–6) 		 28 – Mays   7 – Smart   6 – Mays  Bud Walton Arena (15,169)
Fayetteville, AR
March 7, 2020
1:00 pm, ESPN2 		Georgia W 94–64  21–10
(12–6) 		 30 – Taylor   11 – Watford   10 – Smart  Pete Maravich Assembly Center (11,697)
Baton Rouge, LA
SEC Tournament
March 13, 2020
8:30 pm, SECN 		(3) vs.
Quarterfinals 		Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic[2] Bridgestone Arena
Nashville, TN
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in Central Time.

Schedule Source[3]

Rankings

See also: 2019–20 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings
Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked RV = Received votes
Week
PollPre12345678910111213141516171819Final
AP2223RVRV——RV———RVRV221825RVRVRVRVNot released
Coaches2424^RVRV—RVRV——RVRVRV2418RVRVRVRVRVRV

*AP does not release post-NCAA Tournament rankings
^Coaches did not release a Week 2 poll

References

  1. ^ "UK picked to win 2020 SEC Men's Basketball Championship". SEC Sports. October 15, 2019. Retrieved October 15, 2019.
  2. ^ "2020 SEC Tournament canceled Thursday amid coronavirus pandemic concerns".
  3. ^ "Tigers at Texas in Big 12/SEC; Early Schedule Released" (Press release). LSU Department of Athletics. July 25, 2019. Retrieved July 28, 2019.