SEC grind continues against Tigers
February 10, 2015
By Joshua Huff
Bring on Kentucky.
That is the sentiment floating around LSU as the Tigers prepare for the No. 1 team in the country on Tuesday in what will be the first sellout at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center since 2006.
Nine years later, that streak has been broken as the traveling circus that is UK packs its bags and heads down to Baton Rouge, La., in the hopes of continuing its magical run through the regular season. In its way will be a 17-6 LSU team that is coming off of a big win against Alabama on Saturday – a win that snapped a two-game losing streak for the Tigers.
LSU will contend with a UK team that is coming off of its own huge win against SEC rival Florida on Saturday, – one that helped bolster UK’s chances of going the distance undefeated.
The victory against the Gators also helped prepare the Cats for the physical test of LSU.
“It’s going to be a game for the big boys,” UK assistant coach John Robic said. “Jordan Mickey and Jarell Martin are both two really talented players that use their size to their advantage in the post offensively.”
Much like UK’s NBC Sports National Player of the Week, freshman Karl-Anthony Towns, Mickey is a shot-blocking machine, averaging nearly four blocks a game and leads LSU with 81 blocks on the season.
“He does a good job not leaving his feet,” Robic continued. “Blocking shots off the ball. They have real good size. I mean their whole team has good size. They started Tim Quarterman last game at the point. So they’re 6-foot-6 at the point.”
After averaging 17 and 10.5 points in UK’s two victories last week, Towns will look to add to his three double-doubles on the season in a matchup against forwards Mickey and Martin. But the lingering question has to be the play of sophomore Andrew Harrison on the road. He is coming off of a disappointing one-point performance against Florida after scoring 23 points at Rupp Arena against Georgia on Feb. 3.
“He just wasn’t as aggressive as he was the game prior,” Robic said. “We need that from him, we need that energy. I really believe that our team feeds off of him, energy- wise, on both sides of the ball.”
UK will need that energy as it enters a hostile environment for the second consecutive game.
With the season winding down and players and coaches beginning to get fatigued, the size and shooting ability of LSU’s bigs will provide UK with a test greater than Florida.
“If you’re not (fatigued) at this time of the year there’s something wrong,” Robic said. “You know, it’s a long season. We hope it continues a lot longer. Every coach in the county is in the same position right now. We’re just getting ready for the next game.”
