Will Wade didn’t have a full LSU roster available for the exhibition against McNeese, but he made it clear the Tigers expect that picture to change fast.
LSU dressed only seven players for the contest, even though every player previously reported to be joining the program was there except former St. John’s star RJ Luis. Austin Nunez, the UTSA transfer who had foot surgery a couple of weeks ago, was the only player to warm up before the game.
Still, Wade said two other expected rotation players were eligible and could have suited up. He said he held them out for a simple reason: the paperwork wasn’t fully finished.
“We were being extra cautious not to poke the bear,” he said. “We have another two that are cleared to play, but we wanted to make sure all the paperwork was final before we did it.
We were not trying to do anything untoward towards any acronym. So we were extra cautious.”
Later, Wade said LSU submitted one more document to the NCAA in the afternoon before the scrimmage, but the turnaround wasn’t quick enough.
“The NCAA couldn't turn it around quick enough,” Wade said. “I think we'll have him by … Friday.”
Against McNeese, the available transfers were senior guard Abdi Bashir, who came from Kansas State; junior guard Divine Ugochukwu, who transferred from Michigan State; senior forward Mo Dioubate, who arrived from Kentucky; and fifth-year senior Donovan Dent, who came over from UCLA. The only reserves were freshmen forward Jordan Bender and center Strake Pearson, both unranked high school recruits.
Wade wouldn’t name the two players he believes were also playable, but he said LSU has more paperwork to finish and isn’t interested in taking any chances with eligibility. For now, the only date that matters is Nov. 3, when LSU opens the season against LSU-New Orleans.
Several likely rotation pieces did not play, including 22-year-old Italian-Senegalese wing Saliou Niang, 23-year-old French center Brice Dessert, 24-year-old Israeli center Gilad Levy and fifth-year senior Skyy Clark, who came from UCLA.
Clark and Dent are among more than 70 plaintiffs who received eligibility for a fifth season through a temporary restraining order in a lawsuit filed in California against the NCAA. Their status for the regular season will hinge on an Oct. 20 hearing on a preliminary injunction.
Clark’s situation carries one extra wrinkle: he was also involved in a Kentucky eligibility case, where the Kentucky Court of Appeals dissolved the injunction that had allowed class of 2022 athletes to play.
Asked directly whether Clark and Dessert would be ready for LSU’s next exhibition, Wade kept it simple.
“I think we'll have more for the next one.”
He added, “We can't play anybody who's not fully cleared,” he said. “If we could, we'd have played everybody … We're just tying up some loose ends with a little bit of paperwork.”
Wade also said Ruzic’s eligibility, along with that of more incoming international players, was an “expected result.” His confidence comes from the fact that his signees have former overseas teammates at other schools who have already been cleared by the NCAA Eligibility Center.
“The other guys made more money than our guys made,” Wade said. We have all their contracts.
We know all their situations. Like it was inevitable that they were going to have to clear our guys once they started clearing these kids at other schools.”
Wade, who coached McNeese from 2023-25 and led the program to two NCAA Tournament appearances, did not mention Luis after the exhibition. Luis, a former undrafted NBA player in 2025 who played a few preseason games, still faces a difficult path even after receiving a preliminary injunction Aug. 24, because the Southeastern Conference has rules preventing member schools from adding players who have signed NBA or G League deals.
For LSU, though, the bigger story was the promise of what’s coming next. Wade sounded convinced that once the final pieces are in place, the Tigers will look a lot deeper - and a lot more dangerous.
“I mean, we're about to be loaded up here now,” he said. “Better watch out.”
In Other News...
LSU Is Benefiting From Kentucky's Costly Postgame Mistake
LSU picked up an unexpected off-field benefit after Saturdays overtime loss at Kentucky, with the Southeastern Conference confirming the Wildcats must pay the Tigers a $500,000 fine because fans stormed the field. The penalty stems from a new 2025 SEC rule tied to access to competition area violations, and in conference games the money is routed directly to the opposing team.
Kentuckys 35-34 win will stand, but the aftermath carries a price tag that LSU will now collect after the SEC confirmed the fine the next day. Its a reminder that even in a game decided on the field, the consequences can spill over well after the final whistle, and for LSU it softens an otherwise frustrating result with a sizable conference payout. [Read more 🡒]
Kentuckys LSU Celebration Just Came With A Brutal Price
Kentuckys overtime win over LSU ended with one of those scenes college football fans know well and administrators dread: a jubilant field storm after the Wildcats completed a 35-34 upset with a successful two-point conversion. The celebration was immediate and loud, with thousands of students pouring onto the field to take in a victory that had been a long time coming for the home crowd.
The SEC, though, has made clear that those moments come with a cost, and Kentucky is now paying it in a big way. The league fined the Wildcats $500,000, and the money is payable to LSU, after the postgame rush onto the field violated conference policy prohibiting spectator access to competition areas before, during and after games for safety reasons. It also arrived under the SECs recently updated fine structure, a reminder that even a signature win can carry an expensive aftermath. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Just Gave Fans A New Decision To Fight Over
LSUs latest trip through SEC play left plenty for fans to chew on, because the offense showed enough creativity and burst to make the night feel salvageable, even in a 35-34 overtime loss to Kentucky. The Tigers moved the ball well at times and had moments that suggested the attack is capable of carrying more weight, but the final result also underscored how thin the margin can be when mistakes and missed chances pile up.
The setback dropped LSU to 4-2 overall and 1-2 in conference play, adding another layer of frustration to a season already asking supporters to sort belief from concern. Kentuckys Adam Zouagui forced overtime with a late field goal, and once the game stretched into the extra period, the Wildcats finished the job, leaving LSU with one more debate about what this team is and how far this offense can really go. [Read more 🡒]