For LSU’s first exhibition of the season, Will Wade finally put a real roster in public view - and it came with 10 names.
That was the big reveal Thursday night before the Tigers faced McNeese St. in their exhibition opener, after weeks of LSU basketball showing only four players on the roster and leaving outsiders to wonder how the team would actually fill out a lineup. Wade has pushed back on the skepticism, and now there’s at least a clearer picture of the group he’s working with, even if it still isn’t finished.
The Tigers are still waiting on eligibility situations for standouts like Saliou Niang and Brice Dessert, so this remains a work in progress. For now, though, LSU’s pre-game lineup shared by LSU Reveille’s Tripp Buhler listed these 10 players:
G Abdi Bashir, No. 1
F Jordan Bender, No. 5
G Skyy Clark, No. 55
G Donovan Dent, No. 3
F Mo Dioubate, No. 10
G Brad Fife, No. 4
C Strake Pearson, No. 22
C Michael Ruzic, No. 32
G Luke Stanbury, No. 0
G Divine Ugochukwu, No. 99
One notable absence was guard Austin Nunez, who had been among the four players previously listed on the roster. Nunez was seen before the game in a walking boot, and he is expected to miss some time.
The additions of Clark and Dent matter most at the point of attack. Clark is still awaiting final eligibility, but his presence, along with Dent and Ugochukwu, gives LSU the kind of ball-handling depth it will need.
Stanbury, the son of assistant Rick Stansbury, has not logged much playing time in his career. Fife is a freshman from Catholic High School and is undersized.
Pearson and Bender are two freshmen LSU may have to lean on unless more of the roster gets cleared. Bender was a strong rebounder in high school and played under Florida Gators legend Mareese Speights, while Pearson brings size at seven feet.
In Other News...
LSU Could Get Caught In The SECs Next Transfer Fight
Lane Kiffin has already made it clear where he stands on the SECs latest transfer debate, and the LSU coach is not enthusiastic about the idea of making players sit out a year when they move from one league school to another. The proposal under discussion would amount to a year-in-residency mandate, part of the conferences broader self-governance push, and it has quickly become one of the more divisive issues on the table as SEC presidents prepare to meet and talk it through.
For LSU, the stakes go beyond the policy itself. Kiffins public criticism reflects a bigger concern around competitive balance, since a rule like that could make it harder for SEC programs to add familiar transfers while potentially sending players to other conferences instead. The discussion is still in motion, but if the league moves forward, it could reshape how LSU and the rest of the SEC navigate the transfer market. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Finally Broke Through At Kentucky But One Issue Still Looms
LSUs simulated trip to Kentucky turned into a much-needed response, as the Tigers erased a 10-point halftime deficit and came away with a 20-13 win. The defense steadied after the break and kept Kentucky off the board in the second half, while Caden Durham provided the decisive fourth-quarter touchdown to finish off a game that had started with the Tigers on their heels.
Sam Leavitts stat line showed both the promise and the problem. He completed 28 of 39 passes for 316 yards and a touchdown, but the three interceptions kept LSU from making the game feel comfortable for long stretches. The comeback was encouraging, and the result mattered, but the turnover issue still sits there as the main thing to clean up moving forward. [Read more 🡒]
Patrick Peterson Just Gave LSU Fans Another Reason To Celebrate
LSUs proud defensive tradition got another nod this week when the Southeastern Conference unveiled its 2026 Football Legends Class, and Patrick Peterson was among the names to be honored. For Tiger fans, it is a familiar reminder of how dominant Peterson was in Baton Rouge from 2008 to 2010, when he piled up major awards and finished his college run as one of the most decorated corners in school history.
Petersons LSU rsum still carries plenty of weight because what he became after leaving campus only added to the legend. He went on to a 13-season NFL career and earned multiple Pro Bowl selections, giving the Tigers another marquee figure to celebrate as the SEC prepares to recognize its latest group of greats. [Read more 🡒]