LSU’s exhibition win over UCF had the kind of finishing stretch that gets a crowd buzzing, and after the 85-81 result, Donovan Dent and Abdi Bashir Jr. made it clear the Tigers felt the pressure of that moment and embraced it.
Bashir Jr. led LSU with 26 points, while Dent was one rebound short of a triple double in just his second game with the program. Both guards delivered in front of a loud PMAC, and Bashir Jr. said the atmosphere mattered when the game tightened late.
“It was a good crowd for an exhibition game, the fans really got into it and it caused some chaos at the end of the game.” Bashir Jr said about the impact the fans had in a wild last couple of minutes.
LSU needed every bit of that edge. UCF pulled even at 81 with 34 seconds left, but the Tigers held on from there. For Dent, that closing stretch fit right into the approach Will Wade has been drilling since practice opened.
“We work on late-game scenarios every day in practice.” Dent said.
“Coach Wade harps on the margins of victory. Six-minute games are the most important minutes of the game.”
Dent, the UCLA transfer, has only just arrived in Baton Rouge, but the early signs are promising. He said the group is still sorting through some things on the floor, yet the chemistry is already starting to take shape.
“It’s actually funny, we’re still trying to work on a lot of the stuff.” Dent said. “we’re building connection as we’re playing through the game.”
For Bashir Jr., LSU checked every box quickly after he transferred in following Wade’s hiring. He was direct about what pulled him to Baton Rouge in the first place.
“There’s nothing like Baton Rouge.” Bashir Jr said about why he chose LSU. “The fanbase is amazing, the school’s amazing, everybody on the staff, everything from top to bottom is all great.”
The two newcomers now have their first PMAC game behind them, and they’ll be back there again on November 3 rd when LSU opens the regular season against LSU-New Orleans.
In Other News...
LSU's Bigger Worry After This Win Is Hard To Ignore
LSUs exhibition win over Central Florida offered a useful snapshot of where Will Wades roster stands heading into the season: capable of scoring, competitive even while short-handed, but still waiting on the kind of full lineup that can make the Tigers hard to judge. The 85-81 result came with LSU using fewer players than it expects to have once the regular season begins, and senior transfer Abdi Bashir Jr. helped carry the offense with 26 points while point guard Donovan Dent added 21 points and 11 assists.
The broader concern is less about the result than the unfinished nature of the roster this close to November 3. Wade said he is hopeful LSU will have additional players cleared by the NCAA before the opener, which would change both the depth chart and the way this team can be evaluated. Until then, the Tigers are left leaning on a thin rotation and waiting to see whether the version they roll out for the regular season looks anything like the one fans expect to watch. [Read more 🡒]
LSUs Mississippi State Outlook Suddenly Hinges On One Huge Unknown
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For Mississippi State, the spotlight lands on quarterback Kamario Taylor, whose foot injury has him questionable heading into Friday. His status is the biggest variable in the game and the one that could shape how the Bulldogs approach LSU, making the next update feel especially important for both teams as they prepare for a meeting with plenty still unsettled. [Read more 🡒]
UCF Showed Promise But One Late Issue Still Looks Costly
UCF came away with plenty to like from its exhibition trip to the Maravich Assembly Center, where the Knights pushed LSU deep into the closing minutes before falling 85-81. Dior Johnson led UCF with 18 points in a game that stayed tight throughout, while LSU leaned on Abdi Bashir, who finished with 26 to help keep the Tigers afloat when the action tightened.
What stood out for LSU was not just the scoring punch, but the way the game settled into a late-possession fight, exactly the kind of stress test both teams wanted in October. UCF had enough shot-making to stay level, yet one costly late sequence swung the result, leaving the Knights with encouragement and a reminder that the smallest mistakes can decide these exhibition games. [Read more 🡒]