No. 19 LSU will try to rebound from its first loss of the season when it takes on Oklahoma State in the third-place game of the AdvoCare Invitational on Sunday afternoon.
The Tigers came up short in a 79-76 overtime loss to Florida State, with Will Wade’s squad unable to puck up the victory after leading by nine with three minutes left in regulation.
As for the Cowboys, they suffered a 77-58 defeat to Villanova.
Let’s run through what to watch for in this intriguing matchup.
Game Details
- No. 19 LSU (5-1) vs. Oklahoma State (3-2)
- Location: HP Field House – Kissimmee, FL (AdvoCare Invitational)
- Game Date: Nov. 25
- Game Time: 4 p.m. EST
- Watch: ESPN2
Players to Watch
Skylar Mays (LSU)
While there’s been plenty of focus on LSU’s talented core of underclassmen, the contributions of the 6-4 junior may be flying under the radar a bit.
Mays leads the team in scoring with 13.7 points per game while shooting 51.9 percent from the floor and a team-best 44.0 percent from beyond the arc.
He’s scored 12 or more points in each of the past four games, and it’s clear that he’s going to be a huge asset for the Tigers this season.
Cameron McGriff (Oklahoma State)
McGriff continues to produce steady numbers through five games, as he leads the Cowboys in scoring and rebounding with 15.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per contest.
He would probably like to improve his 40.4 percent mark from the field and 35.0 percent average from 3-point range, but he’s certainly made an impact by showing a much-improved game early on in his junior season.
Key Stats
These two teams rank 312th or lower nationally in overall experience, as they both rely on a lot of non-senior players at most positions.
One area LSU could take advantage of is when it comes to forcing turnovers. Oklahoma State has turned it over 15.2 times per game thus far this season (269th nationally), so the Tigers’ will obviously want to apply pressure and turn defense into offense.
But LSU also has a weakness that could prove to be problematic as Wade’s squad is allowing opponents to shoot 37.2 percent from 3-point range (276th nationally), which could be an issue in going up against an Oklahoma State team that shoots 41.4 percent from long distance (41.4 percent).
If this one becomes a free-throw contest down the stretch, the advantage will go to the Tigers since they’re shooting 77.5 percent from the line (27th nationally) while the Cowboys are struggling at 66.0 percent (246th nationally).
Game Outlook
- Spread: LSU -4
- Over/Under: 149.5
- KenPom Projection: LSU, 58 percent chance to win
- ESPN BPI Projection: LSU, 60.4 percent chance to win
Luckily for both teams, there was a day of rest built into this tournament so that they could be somewhat fresh for this matchup.
Perhaps the most interesting storyline heading into this one is LSU’s mindset following the loss to Florida State.
The Tigers had their chances and probably feel as though they should have won the game, and this is undoubtedly a potential letdown spot after that type of loss.
LSU has to come out focused from the opening tip, because the Cowboys are obviously no slouch.
Stopping Oklahoma State’s perimeter production will be the biggest key to success, and that’s where Wade will need players like Mays and do-it-all point guard Tremont Waters to be effective on the defensive side of the court.
While I do worry about the Tigers coming out a little flat, they feel like the better pick here.
Season Predictions Record (straight up): 59-12
Game Prediction: LSU 73, Oklahoma State 68
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