LSU may be without its floor general this weekend, as junior point guard Dedan Thomas is listed as doubtful for Saturday’s matchup against South Carolina, per the Southeastern Conference’s official availability report.
Thomas had just returned to the lineup after a five-game absence due to a lower left leg injury. He played in his third consecutive game Wednesday night against Mississippi State, logging 28 minutes and putting up a clean, efficient stat line: 14 points, four assists, and zero turnovers. That’s the kind of production LSU fans have come to expect from the UNLV transfer, who’s been the engine of Matt McMahon’s offense all season.
There was no clear moment during the game where Thomas appeared to re-aggravate the injury. At one point during the first half, cameras caught him getting his ankle retaped, but he stayed in the game and played through the second half. Still, with the SEC grind in full swing, LSU may be taking a cautious approach heading into the weekend.
Thomas has been a stabilizing force for the Tigers, even as the team has struggled to find its footing in conference play. He leads LSU with 15.3 points per game on 45.9% shooting and tops the SEC in assists at 6.5 per contest.
Just as impressive? He’s averaging only 1.6 turnovers - a testament to his poise and decision-making under pressure.
His absence earlier this month was felt in a big way. LSU went 1-4 during the five games he missed, with their lone win coming against Missouri at home. Without Thomas orchestrating the offense, the Tigers lacked rhythm and struggled to generate consistent looks.
Even when he’s not scoring at a high clip, Thomas impacts the game. In his return against Florida on Jan. 20, he managed just two points on 1-of-8 shooting, but still dished out three assists and didn’t commit a turnover in 17 minutes. That kind of control is rare, especially in a road game against a ranked opponent.
His best showing since the injury came last Saturday in a narrow 84-81 loss at No. 15 Arkansas. Thomas poured in 18 points on 7-of-20 shooting, added five assists, and turned it over just three times - a gritty performance in a tough environment.
LSU is already down a key contributor in forward Jalen Reed, who’s out for the season with a left Achilles injury. Now, with Thomas potentially sidelined again, the Tigers will need to lean on their backcourt depth.
Senior guard Rashad King, a transfer from Northeastern, has been a steady presence. He scored 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting against Mississippi State, showing he can step up when needed.
Freshman Jalen Reece will also see more time at the point. He’s averaging 3.8 points, 2.4 assists, and just under one turnover per game - solid numbers for a first-year player still adjusting to the speed and physicality of SEC play.
Saturday marks LSU’s second meeting with South Carolina this season. In their first matchup on Jan. 6, the Gamecocks jumped out to a commanding 50-25 halftime lead at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. LSU mounted a late push and cut the deficit to six with six minutes to go, but couldn’t complete the comeback, falling 78-68.
With or without Thomas, LSU will need a stronger start and more consistent execution if they hope to flip the script this time around.