Louisiana Tech found out quickly that backing into LSU’s defense was a bad idea.
When Braylon Wenger tried to turn his back to a Tigers defender near the free-throw line, LSU backup guard Divine Ugochukwu came flying in from behind, stripped the ball and finished the sequence with a two-hand dunk in transition. It was the kind of play that summed up LSU’s night at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center, where the Tigers rolled to a 90-50 win Monday and kept turning defense into instant offense.
The steal was one of 16 that led directly to scores for LSU, which forced 23 turnovers overall and kept Louisiana Tech uncomfortable from the opening stretch. The Tigers have now won three straight games by at least 40 points for the first time in program history, and the common thread has been impossible to miss: pressure, disruption and easy points the other way.
Coach Will Wade made it clear before the season that he wanted his team to be the aggressor, with its physical and mental edge showing “pop through the TV” and in person. Through three games, that identity has shown up in the numbers as much as the eye test. LSU is 3-0, and its dominance against overmatched mid-major opponents has been fueled by a defense that keeps taking the ball away and turning possessions into layups, dunks and runouts.
The Tigers’ starting backcourt of Skyy Clark and Donovan Dent set the tone with five steals apiece. Both guards were active in the press, hounding ball handlers, jumping passing lanes and making throws look far less routine than Louisiana Tech expected.
“I thought Donnie and Skyy did a great job pestering those guards. So, you know, that's a big part of what we do,” Wade said after the game.
Abdi Bashir, who scored 16 points, said LSU has been drilling that style from the beginning.
“We’ve been practicing that since we all been together,” he said. “It’s just something we’ve been grinding every day.”
That pressure is designed to do more than just burn clock. LSU wants the ball back, and it wants to score before the defense can reset. That formula was on full display Monday, when the Tigers piled up 38 points off turnovers and won the fastbreak battle 21-2.
“Points off turnovers is a huge stat when you're as aggressive as we are on defense,” Wade said. “You're trying to do what we're trying to do on defense.
You get to turn those into steals. And our guys are really active tonight.
You know, (Saliou Niang) and Mo. I thought Mo was way more active at the front of the press tonight, which was huge.
You know, we got to just keep coming at you with our activity on the front of that press.”
That “free” scoring has been the backbone of LSU’s early surge, but it will be tested soon enough. The Tigers’ first major challenge comes Saturday against No. 14 Gonzaga at 2:30 p.m. at Numerica Veterans Arena in Spokane, Washington.
“Yeah, that's a big part of our game,” Bashir said of scoring off turnovers. Skyy's a great defender, (Niang’s) a great defender in our press.
It causes so many turnovers or opportunities for points, and yeah, those points, you know, you can steal away from teams quick. We have more possessions because we're getting the ball more from turnovers and converting them into points.
So that's important."
In Other News...
LSU Brings One Dangerous Edge Into Texas Clash Despite Clear Concerns
LSU heads into its matchup with Texas carrying the kind of offensive profile that can make a game feel dangerous in a hurry. The Tigers have been productive enough to rank near the top nationally in yards per game and third-down conversions, which means drives can stay alive and pressure can build even when the rhythm is uneven. For Texas, coming off a win over Missouri and now heading on the road, the challenge is less about stopping LSU from moving the ball and more about keeping those possessions from turning into momentum swings.
The concern for LSU is that the same offense has not always finished the job, with red zone scoring and the running game still leaving room for improvement. On the other side of the ball, the Tigers bring a defense built to disrupt, led by a nation-best sack percentage, but one that can also be exposed by explosive plays. That combination gives this matchup a sharp edge: LSU has enough firepower and pass-rush pressure to tilt the night, even if the cracks in its profile leave Texas with openings if it can stay patient and capitalize. [Read more 🡒]
LSUs Playoff Hopes Just Took Another Hit After Alabama
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Even so, LSU is still likely to hang around the top 25, which says as much about the committees history as it does about the Tigers season. Three-loss teams have not been automatic afterthoughts in this process, but for LSU the bigger issue is whether there is enough left on the schedule to make the ranking matter again. [Read more 🡒]
LSUs Talent Gets Its First Real Test Against Gonzaga
Before LSU gets its first major measuring stick against Gonzaga, the Tigers are already drawing notice from the other sideline. Mark Few singled out Will Wades roster for its talent and the international flavor it brings, a nod to a group that has plenty of pieces but still needs to prove how well they fit together when the games matter most.
Wade has been equally clear-eyed about the challenge ahead, pointing to Gonzagas size and the quality of its big men as a tough matchup for his team. LSU has the kind of roster that can make noise, but this is the sort of game that starts to show whether potential turns into a real rotation and a real identity. [Read more 🡒]