Dak Dillon – USA Today Sports
The LSU Tigers had a decent season for a team under a first year head coach Johnny Jones. They finished the season 19-12 and in the middle of the pack in the SEC after expecting the 2012-2013 season to be a year focused on rebuilding.
Next year, with the talent that LSU returns, the Tigers will be competing for a top place in the SEC and an NCAA tournament berth.
Johnny O’Bryant III’s decision to remain in college for another season rather than going to the NBA draft will give LSU a huge boost. O’Bryant is a dominant player in the SEC; he finished second only to Tennessee Volunteers forward Jarnell Stokes for the player with the most double-doubles in the SEC. There were games that LSU would not have won without him carrying them to victory.
Next season, O’Bryant won’t be LSU’s only offensive threat. Anthony Hickey is another dominant player for the Tigers. He was the second-leading scorer and looked good in the tougher games for LSU. Shavon Coleman and Andre Stringer also return and are both extremely talented players, and the experience that they have gained over their collegiate careers will be crucial to the success of the Tigers.
LSU has every opportunity to succeed next year, but they have to play their game and get O’Bryant the ball. The Tigers can win the SEC because of the talent that they return. Expect LSU to pull a few surprise upsets next season and finish as one of the top teams in the SEC.
