No. 8 – LSU

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Offseason motivation is nothing new to LSU. Heading into last season the Tigers let the burn of a first-round exit from the 2005 NCAA Tournament serve as inspiration. And ever since the late hours of April 1, 2006, the LSU players have had their eyes set on what lies ahead this season. That was the night the Tigers’ magical NCAA Tournament run screeched to a halt with a 59–45 loss to UCLA in the Final Four — LSU’s first trip to the national semifinals since 1986.

“We went into last year making it a point to redeem ourselves, and we have that same kind of mission this year,” LSU’s ebullient star Glen Davis says. “We’ve got a taste of what it’s like to get to the Final Four, and now we want to go back and win a national championship.”

Aiming so high might seem a little misguided at first glance. LSU lost two major pieces to its late-season surge in senior guard Darrel Mitchell (16.8 ppg, 160 assists, 82 3-pointers) and Tyrus Thomas (12.3 ppg, 9.2 rpg, SEC-best 99 blocked shots). But besides the 6'9", 300-pound Davis, four other players with substantial starting experience at LSU are back, plus a pair of high-profile transfers.

“There’s no doubt in my mind that we have a chance to be a better team this year than we were last year,” Davis says. “We have that much more talent.”

FRONTCOURT – As a sophomore, Davis led the SEC in scoring (18.6 ppg) and rebounding (9.7 rpg) and produced 19 double-doubles.

Whoever steps into Thomas’ spot opposite Davis will play a key role in LSU’s success this season. The two prime candidates are 6'8" senior Darnell Lazare and willowy 6'10" sophomore Magnum Rolle.

Lazare started 15 games last season, including the first nine, and showed moments of offensive spark. He hung 10 points up against Duke in a Sweet 16 game when Davis and Thomas were slowed by foul trouble. Rolle struggled to adapt to the college game early last season, but he has a similar skill set to Thomas.

“Magnum is on the same path Tyrus took when he redshirted (in 2004-05) and is a very comparable player,” coach John Brady says. “He runs the floor well, he blocks shots and he’s got a nice offensive game. We need to get him some confidence and teach him to be a little more competitive and aggressive, and he’s going to be a very good player.”

Small forward Tasmin Mitchell started every game as a freshman and averaged 34.4 minutes per game. When Thomas was injured late in the regular season, Mitchell recorded three 20-point games. Like Lazare, he came up huge in the Duke victory with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

With Thomas and Darrel Mitchell gone, Tasmin Mitchell will be leaned on as the Tigers’ No. 2 scoring option. His flexibility to create shots or bang around inside should give opposing defenses fits.

Sophomore Chris Johnson will provide depth in the frontcourt.

BACKCOURT – Despite the loss of Darrel Mitchell, the Tigers will have more depth and talent in the backcourt than they’ve had in years.

Sophomore Garrett Temple is back as the best backcourt defender but will have to develop more on offense. Point guard Tack Minor is also back in the mix after redshirting last season with a knee injury. The mercurial 5'11" Minor started all 30 games as a sophomore. He will have to take up the slack both as a perimeter shooter and steady team leader.

Two transfers give the Tigers some flexibility. Dameon Mason, a 6'5" slasher, transferred to LSU from Marquette and could be the most athletic player on the team. Terry Martin Jr. is a 6'6" combo guard who spent the first semester of last season at Texas Tech before transferring to LSU. A native of Monroe, La., Martin will be eligible once the first semester ends. He is expected to play both guard spots and help fill Darrel Mitchell’s void as a perimeter shooter.

Sophomore Ben Voogd returns as a backup point guard, and redshirt freshman Alex Farrer will vie for time at the shooting guard position.

FINAL ANALYSIS – A deep, talented and motivated crew will take the floor for LSU this year.

Another strong year from Davis, the emergence of Mitchell and Rolle and steady play from the backcourt could be the recipe for another NCAA Tournament run for the Tigers — and perhaps a return engagement in the Final Four.