After a month-long road stretch that tested their depth and resolve, LSU men's basketball is finally back in Baton Rouge-and they’re returning with some serious momentum. The Tigers, now sitting at 9-1, will host Southeastern Louisiana Friday night at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m., and with the way LSU’s been playing, fans might want to be in their seats early.
This marks LSU’s first home game since mid-November, following a five-game swing away from the PMAC over the past 28 days. And while road games can expose cracks in a team’s foundation, LSU has done just the opposite-they’ve built something. Their latest outing, an 89-77 win over SMU at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, was a showcase of balance, chemistry, and individual growth.
That win wasn’t just about the final score-it was about how they got there. Three Tigers recorded double-doubles in the same game, something LSU hadn’t done since the 2021 NCAA Tournament.
Marquel Sutton was dominant inside, putting up 23 points and 12 boards. Pablo Tamba added 14 and 10, showing his growing confidence in the paint.
And DJ Thomas Jr. ran the show with poise, finishing with 16 points and a career-best 12 assists. That’s the kind of floor general play that elevates everyone around him.
And then there’s Max Mackinnon. The sophomore guard caught fire from deep, draining six of seven from beyond the arc en route to a 20-point night. When Mackinnon is shooting like that, LSU becomes a different kind of problem-one that forces defenses to stretch out and opens up the floor for the bigs.
Now, the Tigers turn their attention to a 4-7 Southeastern squad that’s already faced two SEC opponents this season. The Lions fell to Ole Miss and Mississippi State, but both games showed flashes of fight.
Most recently, Southeastern dropped a heartbreaker to East Texas A&M, losing in the final seconds at home. They’ll come into the PMAC with something to prove, and LSU can’t afford to overlook them.
Jeremy Elyzee leads the Lions in scoring at 12.4 points per game, with Isaiah Gaines adding 10.5. Head coach David Kiefer, now in his seventh season, has built a scrappy, resilient group that’s used to punching above its weight.
For LSU, this game is more than just a chance to pad the win column. It’s the start of a key three-game homestand that will close out non-conference play and set the tone heading into the SEC grind.
After Friday, LSU will host Prairie View on Monday (note the earlier 6 p.m. tipoff) and Southern Miss on Dec. 29.
Then it’s on to Texas A&M on Jan. 3, where the conference schedule begins in earnest.
There’s also a little extra incentive for students and fans to show up Friday night. LSU is rolling out a holiday “student for a game” promotion, allowing fans to buy a $10 ticket to sit in the student section. LSU students, who already get in free with valid ID, can also bring a guest-parent or friend-at no cost by picking up an extra ticket at the gate.
The game will be broadcast on the LSU Sports Radio Network, with Chris Blair and former head coach John Brady on the call. For those streaming, Lyn Rollins and Victor Howell will handle the SECN+ broadcast.
Head coach Matt McMahon knows this team is still a work in progress, but he liked what he saw in New Orleans. “We got a lot of getting better to do,” McMahon said after the SMU win.
“But this was an important step for us-how we handled the loss at Texas Tech, how we prepared this week. The urgency and edge that we came out and played with tonight.
Really proud of our players.”
That urgency will need to carry over into Friday night. Because while the SEC looms large, every game between now and then is a chance to sharpen the edges-and maybe remind the rest of the conference that LSU is coming in hot.