College Hoops Top 50

Last Year: 14-19; Fourteenth (2-16) in the Southeastern Conference, No Postseason

Head Coach: Matt McMahon (Second Year)

Projected Starting Lineup

PG Jalen Cook – 6’0″, 205 – Junior – awaiting NCAA waiver approval

SG Trae Hannibal – 6’2″, 221 – Senior (5th)

SF Jordan Wright – 6’6″, 230 – Senior (5th)

PF Derek Fountain – 6’10”, 222 – Senior

C Will Baker – 7’0″, 245 – Senior (5th)

Projected Starters’ 2022-23 Stats

Jalen Cook: 19.9 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 4.9 apg, 1.8 spg – 45.2% FG

Trae Hannibal: 6.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.3 apg, 0.8 spg – 41.2% FG

Jordan Wright: 10.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 2.1 apg, 1.1 spg – 39.8% FG @ Vanderbilt

Derek Fountain: 8.0 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 0.8 apg, 1.1 spg – 54.7% FG

Will Baker: 13.6 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 0.8 apg, 0.3 bpg – 35.5% 3FG @ Nevada

Experienced Reserves

Experienced Reserves’ 2022-23 Stats

Carlos Stewart: 15.2 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 2.3 apg, 1.8 spg – 40.3% 3FG

Tyrell Ward: 3.7 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 0.5 apg, 0.7 spg – 36.1% FG

Jalen Reed: 3.7 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 0.4 apg, 0.4 bpg – 39.8% FG

Mwani Wilkinson: 2.6 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 0.8 apg, 0.5 spg – 44.4% 3FG

Daimion Collins: 1.9 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 0.2 apg, 0.4 bpg – 42.5% FG

Hunter Dean: 8.7 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 0.8 bpg, 0.8 spg – 64.1% FG @ George Washington

Freshmen

F Corey Chest – 6’8″, 210 – Freshman – Consensus Top 100 recruit

G Mike Williams – 6’3″, 180 – Freshman – Consensus Top 150 recruit

‘Strong-ass offers are the remedy our enemies have chosen, and I say let us give them all they want’

– Matt McMahon, probably

The 2022-23 basketball season was a blast in Baton Rouge. LSU won 34 games and a Natty – in Womens’ hoops. As the Lady Tigers tore their way through the NCAA Tournament field, the men were already done.

Having won just 14 games – including just two in SEC play – in his first season, head coach Matt McMahon and his staff were working hard on the recruiting trail this spring. The results are promising so far; LSU is adding a pair of 4-star freshmen and a half dozen experienced transfers to jump-start things this fall. There are so many new faces that even McMahon’s few returnees will be settling into new roles, and summer practices have been an adventure. The upshot, McMahon hopes, will be a much more competitive bunch of Tigers this winter. By raiding conference foes for proven talent and stocking up on Louisiana-born players, McMahon is building an identity for his program.

If the highest-impact newcomer ends up being Tulane transfer Jalen Cook, LSU’s attack will be in much better shape very quickly. The Walker, LA, native actually began his career with the Tigers three years ago, before heading to the American Athletic Conference in search of a bigger role. He found it, and was named to the all-conference team in both of his seasons with the Green Wave. A high-scoring lead guard who has gotten any shot he wants – whenever he wants – the past two years, Cook is hoping to translate his elite productivity back to the SEC. He’s a physically strong, quick and very nimble player who was also a standout prospect as a wide receiver on the football field before deciding to focus on the hardwood. Cook loves to use his dribble to attack the defense, changing speeds and paces smoothly and pressing any advantage in the defense which he exposes. Last season, Cook came into his own from mid-range; after previously focusing mostly around the rim and beyond the perimeter in his first year with the Green Wave, Cook attempted more than 120 shots each from close to the hoop, mid-range and the outside. Though his shooting rate from distance fell from 39%, Cook slashed 45/35/85% last year, and he got to the stripe nearly five times per game in a Tulane jersey.

“Jalen is an electric guard who brings proven scoring and playmaking ability to Baton Rouge,” McMahon says of his new/old backcourt star. “I love his passion for LSU and his desire to represent our program.” A strong and high-effort defender, Cook enjoys a challenge. With his explosive quickness he is difficult to get past, and Cook makes plays defensively which he often turns into treats for his rim-running teammates. With experience and tremendous confidence now added to his evident skills, the stage is set for Cook’s second act as a Tiger to be both highly successful and highly entertaining. The NCAA has generally adopted a tough attitude toward approving waivers for two-time undergraduate transfers in the past year. LSU is hoping that Cook, as a player returning to his original commitment following coaching change, has as good a case as may be, and if Cook is declared eligible, it will be a game-changer for the Tigers.

A Baton Rouge native who spent his first two seasons at Santa Clara, Carlos Stewart has returned to home to take up a scoring role. After playing a reserve role as a freshman, Stewart broke out with a 15+ point scoring average last year beside 1st Round NBA Draft pick Brandin Podziemski. A terrific outside shooter, Stewart hit 58 triples last year at better than a 40% rate, and his ability to reliably stretch defenses away from the lane will help all of his teammates. Stewart committed one turnover for each assist he handed out at Santa Clara, 104 for 104. He’s got playmaking skills, though, and paired with Cook, would be able to keep the ball moving and LSU’s cutters effectively fed. “This is a great day to welcome Carlos Stewart home to Baton Rouge, Louisiana,” McMahon said when Stewart signed on to be a Tiger. “We love his explosive scoring ability at the guard position, his competitive spirit, and his passion for LSU. With his 6-7 wingspan and his motor, he will also impact our team on the defensive end of the court.” Despite his wingspan, Stewart is not a big guard, and the Tigers could have some trouble with larger backcourts. He’s highly active, though, with his long arms and high-end quickness. Stewart expects to make enough buckets to earn big minutes, regardless of the matchup, and should give the Tigers reliable scoring to help some of the younger players develop. If Cook can’t go, Stewart’s importance as a scorer will intensity significantly.

This will be Trae Hannibal’s third season playing for McMahon, and the former South Carolina and Murray State transfer brings plenty of physicality to the LSU lineup. He’s not that tall, but Hannibal plays like a bigger dude, making things happen both in the lane and on the perimeter. He’s not the silkiest scorer of all time; rather Hannibal gets his buckets through his aggressive and hard-driving style. “I thought (Hannibal’s) attacking relentlessly to the basket, physicality contact, finishing was phenomenal,” Arkansas coach Eric Musselman said after Hannibal scored 19 points in a 60-57 LSU win over the 9th-ranked Hogs, and Hannibal made a similar impression on the other league coaches who had the misfortune of trying to keep him away from the basket. Hannibal attempted 104 of his 141 shots last season around the rim, per Bart Torvik, and took 113 trips to the foul line, where he’s a 72% career shooter. Also LSU’s top returning perimeter defender, Hannibal is a tough matchup for almost anyone due to his strength and quick feet. He doesn’t always play big minutes, but Hannibal – who posted back-to-back double-doubles in the SEC Tournament to cap his season, will continue to make a big impact in his new role.

The Tigers’ top returning scorer from last winter is Derek Fountain, a Magnolia State native who transferred from Mississippi State before last season and had a career year under McMahon. A combo forward who can shoot the ball but is best nearer the rim, Fountain has good length and both the athleticism and skill to be a matchup problem for lots of different post defenders. Fountain scored in double figures 11 times last year, and battled through a shoulder injury which forced him to miss a pair of games. “I thought Derek Fountain was terrific,” McMahon said after Fountain went for 26 points and 7 boards against top-5 foe Alabama in February “He embodies everything I want to build this program around. Relentless effort, energy, he’s all about the team. He has really stepped forward into a leadership role.” Fountain had such a good year in some measure because he stopped trying so hard to be a jump shooter. As a freshman, he attempted 17 shots around the basket, and 39 triples, per Bart Torvik. Last season, Fountain made 64% of his 112 attempts in close, and only launched 23 treys. Given his versatility and occasional floor-spacing threat in the halfcourt, Fountain should be a good ‘pop’ or ‘roll’ option after setting a screen when LSU’s guards drive. With a summer working to smooth out his shot, the hope is that he can be a more consistent threat from distance, and Fountain can take the next step as a key scorer this fall.

Fountain isn’t the only former SEC rival to have come to the Red Stick lately to play for McMahon, as LSU’s coach plundered a further pair of Southern rosters this spring. Jordan Wright is a big, experienced, rock-solid wing who started 74 games across his four seasons at Vanderbilt. Wright averaged 10.8 points, 5.4 boards, 2 assists and 1.2 steals the past three seasons in Nashville, while splashing 86 triples the past two years as his game has grown. A strong defender and reliable secondary scorer, Wright is coming back to use his last year of eligibility in his home town. “We are thrilled to welcome Jordan Wright back to Louisiana for his final college season. We love his skill level, IQ, and versatility on the court. Jordan will bring leadership, a strong work ethic and toughness to our program,” McMahon said when Wright pledged to the Bayou Bengals. A former prep teammate of Stewart’s at The Dunham School, Wright fits well in almost any lineup, with both the strength and tenacity to bang against larger players in the lane and the foot speed and perimeter skills to play as a guard. And with Hannibal expected to join forces with Wright at the 2 and 3 spots for chunks of time, opposing guards had better bring their hard hats on any attempts to drive the ball in from the perimeter.

McMahon will also feature Daimion Collins in the lane this year. A former 5-star recruit out of Atlanta, Texas – less than 300 Miles from Baton Rouge – Collins transferred to LSU in part to be closer to family. Collins lost his father unexpectedly during the season last year, a harsh blow to a young man fighting for his role on an awfully talented roster. The 2021 McDonald’s All-American had trouble carving out a satisfactory niche in Lexington, in no small part due to the presence of two-time Consensus All-American center Oscar Tshiebwe ahead of him on the depth chart. And especially last season, as the Wildcats hit some bumps in the road, there were few minutes for Kentucky to commit to a developing big man. Collins is tremendously bouncy and his long arms help him to make up ground on people unexpectedly quickly. His shooting motion is just fine, and Collins projects as a guy who can occasionally pop for a jumper – when he isn’t rolling to the rim for a throwdown. While Collins must continue to get stronger, his athleticism makes him quite difficult to keep off of the boards, and he can protect the rim effectively. With more minutes and, hopefully, an easier season off the court, Collins is poised to take a major step forward.

Five Stats Which Tell The Tale (with national ranks)

-3.1 – Average Score Margin (248th)

9.8 – Offensive Rebounds Per Game (66th)

51.8% – Opponent Effective FG% (255th)

13.8 – Free Throws Made Per Game (106th)

41.0% – Team Field Goal Percentage (322nd)

Collins will be joined up front by two more veteran bigs, and Will Baker will be counted on to add a different flavor as the main scoring threat in the frontcourt. Without former Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year KJ Williams as the go-to scoring big, Baker is hoping to transfer his big production from the past two years to McMahon’s lineup. “Coming off his all-conference season in the Mountain West, we are looking forward to him making an immediate impact on our program,” McMahon says of Baker. “At 7-0, we love his skill level and his feel for the game in the post.” After starting out at Texas as a 4-star prospect, Baker headed West to Nevada and a larger role. In two years at the pivot for Steve Alford, Baker averaged 12.6 points, 5 boards, and sank 48 triples at a 37.5% rate. He was great at finishing good looks in close, being consistently fed quality looks by Kenan Blackshear and Jarod Lucas, and cashing in 73% of his shots near the rim, per Bart Torvik. He’s not a bruising enforcer in the paint, and will have to prove that he’s gotten stronger and learned to more effectively hold his own in the paint than during his freshman year. Baker has learned a good bit about playing steady positional defense with the Wolfpack, though, and is certainly more ready to take on high major bigs than he was three years ago.

Another Louisiana native returning to play for the Tigers, Hunter Dean will provide quality, veteran depth at the 5 spot. The Mandeville, LA, product announced his return on social media, declaring “You can take the boy out of the bayou but can’t take the bayou out of the boy.” Dean started out at Southern Miss before spending three seasons steadily improving at George Washington. Dean does his best work around the rim, where he shot 69% the past two seasons. An active offensive rebounder and defender, Dean is a high-energy big guy who will take on any matchup and should provide great depth – and another guy who knows how to stuff a good feed on the pick-and-roll.

Jalen Reed isn’t new, but he’s hoping to take a big step forward this season after playing behind Williams last year. The former 4-star recruit has great size and a whole bunch of untapped potential that he’s looking to show off in a larger role. Son of the late Justin Reed, a four-time All-SEC forward for Ole Miss, Jalen Reed started the first eight games of his career, but his performances were inconsistent as a freshman. Thankfully for the Tigers, Reed is now a sophomore, and with more consistent effort and added strength, he should be ready to earn an expanded role. A stretch-big who can heat up from outside of the lane and stretch defenses, Reed is an intriguing option to pair with a player like Collins, who can rim-run and block shots. Defense has been a question mark for Reed so far, and if he can improve on the boards and defensively, the rest should fall into place for Reed.

There was tremendous hype surrounding the signing of Tyrell Ward, who arrived last year as a borderline Top 50 national recruit. Though he didn’t immediately transform the Bayou Bengals, Ward still has a world of potential and will get the chance to show it off this winter. He can shoot the ball well out beyond the three point arc, and has looked confident launching in practice this fall. His shooting range combined with tremendous athleticism make Ward a potentially excellent wing scorer. “I thought Tyrell has had a great offseason. We all know he is wired to score, and I thought he shot the ball well,” McMahon said from the Bahamas, where the Tigers played on an exhibition tour this summer. Ward has real defensive potential due to his length and quickness, and as he gets stronger, Ward should be capable of checking quite a variety of opponents. And with the way he gets out in transition and can thunder down the lane, Ward is going to be hell on wheels when he comes up with loose balls in the open court.

The Tigers have lots more great defense in the person of Mwani Wilkinson, a veteran wing who has covered some of the SEC’s top scorers the last few years. Last season, he played just 12 games due to a shoulder injury, and LSU missed his 24+ minutes of stout play. While the roster has shifted quite a bit around him and McMahon really needs offense, Wilkinson’s value as a stopper should keep him in the lineup. More scoring from Wilkinson would be really nice, though – despite averaging just under 20 minutes played for his career, he carries just a 3.6 scoring average through 73 games in purple and gold. He’s always maintained a 40% mark from deep, though, and McMahon said that Wilkinson made some big triples in the Bahamas. If he can knock down the open shots that his buddies create while continuing to lock people up, Wilkinson’s return will be most welcome.

Five Out-of-Conference Games to Keep an Eye on

N – St. John’s / North Texas – November 17

vs Kansas State – December 9

@ Syracuse – November 28

TBD – Charleston Classic – November 19

N – Dayton – November 16

With all of the veteran talent coming in, McMahon is only welcoming two new freshmen, but they are expected to be good ones. Corey Chest is a New Orleans native who spent a prep year developing in Missouri, and has now returned to add some dynamism around the lane. “Corey has been a top priority for us since our first day on the job. We love the energy, athleticism, and toughness he will bring to our program,” McMahon enthused upon Chest’s signing. A physically strong and high-effort rebounder, Chest can also defend most other forwards. Though he isn’t as much of an outside threat as some young players his size, Chest is very good at finishing around or above the rim. He won’t handle the ball much as a rookie, but Chest brings his lunch pail each game and should endear himself to the coaches by adding a tremendous amount of competitiveness.

If Cook can’t play this year, Tigers fans could end up seeing quite a bit of freshman guard Mike Williams. Though he hyperextended his knee just minutes into the Tigers’ exhibition slate in the Bahamas, Williams has been a participant in fall practices and should be good to go for the season. “Mike Williams is a leader and a winner,” McMahon declared when Williams signed on in Baton Rouge. “He is an excellent 3-point shooter who can also create scoring opportunities off the dribble. He loves to compete at the defensive end and his leadership did not go unnoticed by our staff.” A very good athlete who enhances his abilities with a high-revving motor, Williams has good size and length for defending most point guards, and he will make plays in transition. Though a capable playmaker, Williams does enjoy putting it on the floor and looking for his own shot. If he’s pressed into immediate minutes running the point it could be a bit of an adventure for this team, but Williams offers a lot to like.

There is so much that’s new with this team that it’s hard to compare it to the group which staggered to the finish of SEC play last year. Those Tigers could barely get the ball through the net, and McMahon has certainly added some scoring punch with the arrivals of Stewart, Wright and Baker.

So much, though, rests upon Cook being allowed to play. If he’s leading the Tiger attack, and creating quality offense for his friends, so many other things will fall into place. The Bayou Bengals would move upwards of ten spots higher in the rankings with Cook a part of the lineup. If Cook isn’t a part of this team, much more responsibility will fall upon Stewart and Wright in particular, as proven scorers and capable facilitators. The less-experienced big will have to create some of their own opportunities regardless, and McMahon is hoping to see one or two of them step up as every-game producers.

At least, McMahon believes, there should be real competition and depth to help improve the Tigers from within – and he’s proud to have brought aboard more and more Louisiana players.”One of the things that makes LSU a special place is the pride your in state players have in representing the state. This year we were able to be selective in the portal, really identify players in the top eight or nine leagues in the country, get some proven commodities,” McMahon said in September. With his proud and proven group, LSU is looking to re-establish their place in the SEC.