LSU Returns Home After Road Swing, Set to Host Southeastern in Friday Night Matchup
BATON ROUGE - After nearly a month on the road, LSU men’s basketball is back in Baton Rouge and ready to reintroduce themselves to the home crowd. The Tigers, sitting at 9-1 on the season, return to the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on Friday night to take on Southeastern Louisiana. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. local time.
This marks the first home game for LSU in 28 days, and the timing couldn’t be better. The Tigers are coming off a statement win last Saturday in New Orleans, where they handled SMU 89-77 in a game that showcased just how dynamic this squad can be when it’s clicking. Three different players recorded double-doubles-something that hasn’t happened for LSU since the 2021 NCAA Tournament.
Marquel Sutton led the way with a dominant 23-point, 12-rebound performance, while Pablo Tamba added 14 points and 10 boards of his own. But it was point guard DJ Thomas Jr. who turned heads with a career-high 12 assists to go along with 16 points, orchestrating the offense with poise and precision. When your floor general is dishing out dimes like that and still scoring efficiently, it opens up everything else-and LSU took full advantage.
Max Mackinnon also had a breakout night, pouring in over 20 points while going 6-for-7 from beyond the arc. His shooting performance gave LSU the kind of spacing that makes a good offense look great. When you combine that with the Tigers' ability to crash the glass and move the ball, it’s easy to see why they’ve built such a strong early-season record.
Now, they’ll look to keep the momentum going against a Southeastern squad that’s had a tougher go of it. The Lions enter Friday’s game at 4-7, coming off a heartbreaking loss to East Texas A&M that was decided in the final seconds. This will be their third game against SEC competition this season-they’ve already faced Ole Miss and Mississippi State, dropping both matchups but showing flashes of competitiveness, especially against the Bulldogs in a tighter 75-68 loss.
Southeastern is led by Jeremy Elyzee, who’s averaging 12.4 points per game, with Isaiah Gaines chipping in 10.5. Head coach David Kiefer, now in his seventh year at the helm, has his team playing hard, even if the results haven’t quite followed yet.
For LSU fans, Friday night also kicks off a few holiday promotions. Students with a valid ID can bring a guest for free, and for the rest of the crowd, there’s a $10 ticket option to sit in the student section-part of the school’s “student for a game” initiative. Tickets are available online or at the arena starting an hour before tipoff.
On the broadcast side, Chris Blair and former LSU head coach John Brady will be on the call for the LSU Sports Radio Network, while Lyn Rollins and Victor Howell will handle the SECN+ streaming duties.
Looking ahead, LSU’s holiday homestand continues with two more games at the PMAC before SEC play begins. The Tigers will host Prairie View on Monday with a slightly earlier 6 p.m. start, and then close out 2025 non-conference action against Southern Miss on December 29.
But first, it’s about taking care of business Friday night. After a month on the road, the Tigers are back in their house-and they’re bringing some serious momentum with them.