As LSU men’s basketball gears up for the grind of SEC play, the Tigers have one more tune-up on deck before the holiday break. Monday night, they’ll host Prairie View A&M at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center, tipping off an hour earlier than usual at 6 p.m. CT.
LSU enters the matchup riding a wave of momentum. The Tigers are 10-1 on the season after a solid 78-65 win over Southeastern Louisiana on Friday night. That game showcased not just LSU’s offensive firepower, but also the kind of balanced scoring that head coach Matt McMahon has been pushing for all season.
Four Tigers hit double figures, led by Marquel Sutton’s 19-point, nine-rebound effort. Sutton brought physicality and consistency in the paint, and he’s quickly becoming one of LSU’s most reliable two-way players. Mike Nwoko added 18 points, showing off his efficiency in the post, while Max Mackinnon and Dedan Thomas Jr. chipped in 14 apiece.
McMahon was pleased with how his team came out of the gates. “I loved our start to the game - I thought our guys were really dialed in,” he said postgame.
And he wasn’t wrong. LSU hit nine of its first 10 shots, jumped out in transition, and executed cleanly on both ends.
Defensively, they picked up a couple of early “kills” - McMahon’s term for three consecutive stops - which helped them set the tone.
But Southeastern didn’t go quietly. After LSU’s hot start, the Lions adjusted, clawing their way back into the game before halftime.
A second-half push saw LSU stretch the lead back to 18, but they could never quite put the game away. Credit Southeastern for staying scrappy and mixing in a 1-1-3 zone that disrupted LSU’s rhythm in the halfcourt.
Still, the Tigers shot 54% from the field and 41% from beyond the arc - numbers that’ll win you a lot of games. And while McMahon acknowledged the second-half offensive slowdown, he was quick to praise his team’s overall execution and toughness.
“It was good balance out there,” he said. “Sutton was such a warrior… and Nwoko was efficient down in the post.”
Now, the focus shifts to Prairie View A&M - a team that’s shown they can light up the scoreboard when they get rolling. The Panthers are 5-6 on the season but are coming off a 101-64 blowout win over Paul Quinn College, where they exploded for 60 second-half points. That marked the fourth time this season they’ve topped the 90-point mark in a win.
Tai’Reon Joseph led the way with 26 points in that game, while Lance Williams (16), Joey Madimba (15), Dontae Horne (13), and Cory Wells (12 points, 8 assists) all contributed to a balanced, high-octane attack. Prairie View plays fast, shares the ball well, and has multiple scoring options - the kind of profile that can catch teams off guard if they’re not locked in defensively.
For LSU, Monday night is about fine-tuning. It’s another chance to reinforce habits, build chemistry, and keep the momentum going heading into the holidays.
After the Prairie View game, the Tigers will take a short break before returning to practice on Dec. 26.
One final non-conference test awaits on Dec. 29 against Southern Miss, then it’s on to SEC play with a Jan. 3 road trip to Texas A&M.
But first things first - Prairie View comes to town Monday night. And while it may not be a marquee matchup on paper, it’s another important step for a Tigers team that’s quietly stacking wins and finding its identity.