LSU Basketball Players Adopting "LSU vs the World" Mentality for NCAA Tournament
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It's a position Darius Days has embraced since coming to LSU as a freshman back in 2018. Since his arrival "the cloud of negativity" has hovered around LSU from a distance but that didn't stop Days and the program from having consistent success.
Four straight 20 win seasons under Will Wade and three trips to the NCAA Tournament all came to a screeching halt last weekend when the university elected to part ways with Wade after the release of the long anticipated Notice of Allegations from the NCAA. From getting shirts made that read "LSU vs the World" prior to the season to overcoming the adversity that's come with the last week, the Tigers aren't looking for people to feel sorry for them.
They're ready to make a deep tournament run in one last ride as a group.
"A lot of people may feel there's a dark cloud around LSU basketball and that's how it's been since I got there," Days said. "We had a couple of shirts made 'LSU vs the World' so at all times that's how we feel."
"We had meetings before the season on how to make us tight, a close knit group so I think when adversity hits, the best thing about this team is we only get stronger," forward Tari Eason said.
The media had an opportunity to speak with the players prior to the first game against No. 11 ranked Iowa State and it's clearly a group that misses having Wade around. Multiple times throughout the interview Days, Eason and guard Xavier Pinson expressed how Wade meant to them.
But after about a day of coming to grips with the decision and a passionate players only meeting spurred by Days, this group quickly was able to shift focus to preparing for the first round of the tournament.
"I feel pretty confident in the team, been working hard and not letting the distractions keep us away from our goal, winning a national championship," Days said. "We've been locked in with each other, leaning on each other but we're gonna on alright."
"The message has been just to play basketball," Pinson said. "We can only control what we can control, we're players so we keep the same goals and objectives."
LSU has a relatively favorable draw in Iowa State for its first round matchup from the standpoint that both teams are eerily similar. The Tigers and Cyclones are both top 10 in multiple defensive metrics this season and LSU has really been at its best when it can turn defense into offense in transition.
The team should have plenty of those opportunities but Days says there are a few other areas this group will need to clean up in order to advance.
"Locking in better on defense, being more solid, cutting off on second chance points when the other team is getting to the rim," Days said. "Not trying to settle for too many threes."
While most of this team has been around all of these coaches this season, interim coach Kevin Nickelberry talked earlier in the week about getting the players to adjust to his rhythm and what he's asking. It's been a team effort from players and coaches to get as comfortable as possible before tipoff.
"This week has been a little hectic with the new changes to the staff but I feel like everybody's doing their part to step up," Eason said. "The assistant coaches, the players, we're all trying to step up and rally together to make this a special run."
One of the points Nickelberry wanted to drive home in his press conference in Baton Rouge was not only getting the players focused for the task at hand but to also enjoy it. These opportunities don't come along all too often and particularly with what this program is inevitably facing, it's best that everyone involved and who follows this team gets the most out of it while still possible.
"This is amazing, I'm not taking anything for granted, I'm just trying to soak up everything, every moment," Eason said. "This is special, I'm happy to be here and excited to get to work."
"This happened before so be solid and keep doing the things we've been doing," Days said. "Playing hard, loving each other and playing for each other. If we keep doing that the sky's the limit for our team."
