LSU survived another exhibition that had more questions than answers on the roster side and more than enough points on the scoreboard, edging Central Florida 85-81 Wednesday night at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
The Tigers did it while operating short-handed again, just as they had in last week’s exhibition win at McNeese State. This time, LSU used six players against a Central Florida group that rolled out 13, and the Knights had the advantage in both manpower and rotation depth. Still, Will Wade’s team found enough late to finish off the win in front of 1,772.
“They threw a lot of bodies at us tonight,” Wade said. “It was a good win for us being short-handed.
We got some other options that will be here soon. But it was good test for us so we can be ready for November 3.”
LSU opens the regular season on Nov. 3 against LSU-New Orleans, with one more exhibition still to come Oct. 24 at Florida State. Wade is hoping the roster picture will look different by then, or at least by the opener, with fifth-year senior transfer guard Skyy Clark of UCLA still awaiting NCAA clearance and two overseas pros also in the mix: 6-foot-11 center Brice Dessert and 6-7 forward Saliou Niang.
Asked about the status of incoming players, Wade wasn’t giving anything away.
“I would love to update you on the roster, but I won’t because all my words are being used against me,” Wade said. “I’m not going to say anthing about eligibility right now.”
He added again, “I’m not going to be saying anything about eligibility,” a pointed response tied to some of the stories circulating from SEC basketball media days in Birmingham, Alabama, over the previous two days about his roster.
On the floor, LSU got heavy minutes from a tight group and got major production from its top scorers. Of the six Tigers who played, five were on the court for at least 38 minutes. Central Florida coach Johnny Dawkins, meanwhile, spread minutes across 13 players, with 10 logging at least 10 minutes and guard Dior Johnson leading the way with just under 24 minutes and a team-high 18 points.
Abdi Bashir Jr. was the headliner for LSU, playing the full 40 minutes and scoring 26 points on 10-of-17 shooting. He also hit 6 of 12 from beyond the arc.
Donovan Dent, the fifth-year senior transfer from UCLA, put together a huge all-around night in 38 minutes. He finished with 21 points, 11 assists, nine rebounds, three steals and three blocks, coming one rebound shy of a triple-double.
Michael Ruzic added 15 points, 13 rebounds and four blocked shots in 38 minutes, while Mo Dioubate, a senior transfer from Kentucky, chipped in 15 points and seven rebounds. Divine Ugochukwu, a junior transfer from Michigan State, scored two points with two assists and two steals in 38 minutes, and freshman forward Jordan Bender contributed six points and two rebounds in 10 minutes off the bench.
“Our guys are in great shape,” Wade said. “Our conditioning staff does a great job. We’ve had to manage things a little bit differently, but it’s paying off.”
In Other News...
LSUs Biggest Problem Just Got Harder To Ignore After Kentucky
LSUs overtime loss to Kentucky did more than sting in the standings, it put a sharper spotlight on how thin the margin is for this team heading into a tougher stretch. There were bright spots scattered throughout the game, including Jackson Harris contributing on both ends with a touchdown throw and catch, while Dilin Jones helped keep the offense moving as a receiver and TJ Dottery made his presence felt on defense.
Sam Leavitts night summed up the frustration. He moved the ball well enough through the air to keep LSU in it, but the late turnovers ended up carrying too much weight in a game the Tigers could not afford to let slip away. With the schedule about to get less forgiving, the question is no longer whether LSU has playmakers, but whether it can clean up the mistakes before they start defining the season. [Read more 🡒]
LSUs Mississippi State Outlook Suddenly Hinges On One Huge Unknown
The first injury report for LSU and Mississippi State has already added an edge to a matchup that was shaping up as a revealing one for both teams. LSU will head into the game without several players, including Trey'Dez Green and Whit Weeks, while Tylen Singleton is listed as questionable, leaving the Tigers to sort through some notable availability questions before kickoff.
Mississippi States biggest concern is at quarterback, where Kamario Taylor is questionable because of a foot injury. His status looms over the Bulldogs preparation and could shape how they approach the game, with Fridays update expected to carry major weight for a team trying to settle its offensive outlook before facing LSU. [Read more 🡒]
UCF Showed Promise But One Late Issue Still Looks Costly
UCFs trip to Baton Rouge offered a useful early look at where the Knights stand, and for long stretches they matched LSU possession for possession in an exhibition that felt more like a real-season test than a tuneup. Dior Johnson led UCF with 18 points, while LSU got a big scoring night from Abdi Bashir, who finished with 26, as both teams played a competitive game at Maravich Assembly Center.
The final minutes, though, exposed the kind of late-game detail that can decide close contests once the results start counting. UCF had pulled even at 81, only for LSU to regain control in the closing seconds and finish the job, leaving the Knights with encouraging signs and a reminder that execution under pressure still has to sharpen before the games matter most. [Read more 🡒]