UL Monroe Warhawks vs. Louisiana State Tigers Pick & Prediction NOVEMBER 6th 2024

Preview and Prediction

LSU emerged victorious in five of its last seven regular-season games in the previous season, securing wins against No. 11 South Carolina and No. 17 Kentucky.

This strong finish allowed the Tigers to qualify for the NIT, achieve a winning record (17-16), and break even in the Southeastern Conference (9-9). This was a significant improvement from their previous season's record of 14-19 overall and 2-16 in the SEC.

Head coach Matt McMahon is hopeful that this year's team will continue their upward trajectory as they kick off the season against Louisiana-Monroe on Wednesday night in Baton Rouge, La.

"We aim to build on the momentum from the final months of last season, where we secured some impressive wins and finished in the top half of the SEC," McMahon stated.

LSU has recruited a highly-ranked high-school class (No. 14 by 247Sports) and a transfer class of three senior guards - Jordan Sears (UT Martin), Dji Bailey (Richmond), and Cam Carter (Kansas State). These new additions will join six returning players, including forwards Jalen Reed and Derek Fountain, and guards Mike Williams III and Tyrell Ward.

On the other hand, Louisiana-Monroe began their season with a 111-61 win over Champion-Christian on Monday. Jerry Ngopot led the Warhawks with 16 points, while Renars Sondors contributed 14 rebounds off the bench.

Last season, Louisiana-Monroe finished with a record of 11-19 overall and 6-12 in the Sun Belt Conference, placing them 12th in the 14-team league. They were predicted to finish last in the conference this season.

However, head coach Keith Richard, who is entering his 15th season at his alma mater, stated that his team is using this prediction as motivation.

"It has fired up our team without a doubt," Richard said. "They have a chip on their shoulder...I can feel it, and I believe we have a great chance of being the surprise team. There is no way we will finish last in this league."

PREDICTION

UL Monroe Warhawks

Louisiana State Tigers