The LSU men’s basketball team lost in the first round of the NIT to end the season almost seven weeks ago. After being expected to finish 13th, the Tigers finished tied for eighth with an overall record of 17-16, 9-9 in SEC play.
With a one-year boost in results, the return of numerous key players, three freshmen signings, and three players from the transfer portal, McMahon’s squad won seven more conference games than it did in his debut season. As a result, he will be hoping for even more in 2024–25. Since the last buzzer of that season’s finale, LSU’s third-year coach and his staff have been scouring the nation for the players they believe would help the school advance. Following a hectic six and a half weeks, he had a conversation about the last season and the future plans of the show with The Advocate.
A.: I’m ecstatic about the advancements we’ve made this season. We’re happy with the progress we made because we were the second-best improved Power 6 squad in league play. Since we still have a long way to go, our current priorities include improving for the upcoming season.
Even though it wasn’t the postseason we aimed for, finishing in the top half of the SEC and making it there is undoubtedly a positive step from where we started. We’re eager to expand on it, and I believe we’ve succeeded in doing so this spring through both recruiting and player retention.
Q.: After a 4-7 start in SEC play, your team won five of the final seven to go 9-9 and tied for seventh in the league. How proud were you of the staff and players’ accomplishment
A.: I was quite pleased with how our players concluded. We dropped a game-tying layup against Florida on Valentine’s Day night, falling to 4-7. What they did after that reveals a lot about the character, work ethic, and resilience of the guys who played for us toward the end of the season. Despite double-digit second-half deficits, we defeated NCAA tournament opponents like South Carolina and Kentucky, so finishing strong in the SEC rankings and winning those games was commendable.
Q.: Do you believe the roots are firmly planted now?
A.: Definitely. I adore the program’s culture, and I’m thrilled to welcome Tyrell Ward, Jalen Reed, and Derek Fountain back for their third year. We’ve added a fantastic blend of high school talent—three of the top 65 players in the nation—as well as experience and leadership through the transfer portal. I think continuity is a competitive advantage in college basketball. We believe they can help us strengthen our perimeter defense and assist to turnover ratio, two areas where we suffered a year ago, and add some winning attributes. I like where we are right now.
A.: There are two reasons the spring is important: While recruiting receives a lot of attention, player development is something I really believe in. In the world of college basketball today, player development is the key to player retention, which is why we spent a lot of time this spring working with our returning players. It’s been fantastic; our guys have put in a ton of effort to advance and get better by utilizing the offseason player development program.
Q.: The staff has been on the road for the past month. Is it going to settle down a little since the transfer portal closed May 1?
A.: It was nonstop until the gateway closed after the final buzzer rang off, signaling the end of the season. Thus, we’ve been working with our returning players and recruiting nonstop. After we finish our final exams next week, perhaps, we’ll have a day or two to decompress and begin thinking about summer plans.
Q.: You have 12 scholarship players now, one less than the NCAA-allowed 13 because of the penalties from the previous coaching staff. Could there be another move?
A.: You’re never truly done, in my opinion. We’re going to continue refining this roster since we’re constantly trying to get better and strengthen our group. However, as stated in the NCAA’s decision from last summer, this is the last penalty.
Q.: Turning to the players you got out of the portal — Cam Carter, Jordan Sears and Dji Bailey — how did you identify them and go about signing them?
A.: It seems like you’re never done. Because we’re constantly trying to grow better and strengthen our squad, we’re going to keep working on our roster. Indeed, this is the last penalty resulting from the NCAA’s decision from last summer.
Q.: (Forward) Dailion Collins played in just six games before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury. How is he coming along?
A.: Daimion will be a redshirt junior with two years left on his eligibility after the NCAA granted him a medical redshirt.
Q.: The schedule is taking shape (home games with UL-Monroe and UNO, a game at Kansas State, and an opponent TBA for a home game in the ACC/SEC Challenge) with the most recent addition being the inaugural Greenbrier Tip-Off. How do you feel about it so far?
A.: The Greenbrier is going to be exciting, but we’ll have some more contracts coming in shortly. With three Power 6 schools (Wisconsin, Pittsburgh, and Central Florida) on the excellent field, we can be sure to face two Power 6 teams there. Winning games and getting ready for league play are always the main objectives, but you also want to provide your players amazing and memorable experiences. It’s the renowned Greenbrier Resort in the world. Although I haven’t been there, my goal was to return to a location that would allow Tyrell Ward (Washington, D.C.) and Mike Williams (Baltimore) to perform for their loved ones. It fulfilled several of our desired occurrences; those are the ones that we want to play.
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