LSU Coach Will Wade Says Forward Darius Days "Ready to Roll" After One Game Absence

LSU head coach Will Wade met with the media on Tuesday afternoon ahead of the Tigers’ trip to Nashville for the SEC Basketball Tournament.

Entering the Music City with a double-bye and the No. 3 seed, LSU will begin play in Friday’s night slot around 8:30 p.m. against the winner of South Carolina and Arkansas/Vanderbilt.

“I’ve always said in tournament play the hardest game to win is the first one,” Wade said. “Once you win that one, you can kind of get the ball rolling down hill.”

For LSU, that logic holds true, as the Tigers posted a first-round exit against No. 8 seeded Florida under interim head Tony Benford in 2019. Bridgestone Arena hasn’t been the friendliest venue for the program historically, but Wade thinks this team can exercise some of their demons this week.

“It’s kind of the next step for us,” Wade said. “Our seniors haven’t won a game in the SEC Tournament. If we want to fancy ourselves as one of the top programs in the SEC, we need to at least win a game. It’s been a drought.”

In terms of injury news, Wade announced that Darius Days will be “ready to roll” on Friday when the Tigers take the floor. Days, who averages 11.1 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, was sidelined for most of Saturday’s contest against Georgia with a chest injury.

Wade also noted he expects Charles Manning to be back for the start of NCAA Tournament. Manning has been out with a fracture in his left foot, the same injury he sustained in his right foot in mid-January.

LSU senior Skylar Mays and freshman Trendon Watford were also selected on Tuesday by the league coaches to All-SEC teams. Mays, who also was named CoSIDA Academic All-America of the Year, reeled in first-team All-SEC honors, while Watford was named to All-Freshman team.

“I told our guys you have no idea how fortunate you are to have [Skylar Mays] as a teammate and to have been around him, to see his work ethic and drive on and off the court,” Wade said.