LSU Basketball

Brandon Sampson, one of the most intriguing guards in the 2015 class, has decided to play college basketball at LSU. It shouldn't take long for him to start making an impact in the Tigers backcourt.

Sampson announced his decision on Monday, via Jeff Borzello of ESPN.com.

Sampson is a 4-star prospect who ranks just outside of the top 50 nationally, according to 247Sports' composite rankings. He also checks in as a top-15 option at the deep shooting guard position and is the top recruit coming from Louisiana.

The commitment gives the Tigers the top recruiting class in the nation according to 247Sports' team rankings.

The Madison Prep Academy star has displayed an impressive offensive skill set. He's excelled in transition thanks to his willingness to attack the paint and his ability to finish above the rim. He can also step back and knock down outside jumpers.

Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv (via ZagsBlog.com) talked with the rising star's high school coach, Jeff Jones, who praised Sampson's development in recent years:

Man, he could be a program-changer. He's one of the few players who's gotten better and better every year and he still tries to get better. He's a hard worker. Very skilled shooter, but very athletic. Plays well above the rim. Whichever one of those programs he chooses, they're going to get one heckuva player.

Scout.com was also bullish in its evaluation of the aggressive guard:

Get up and go is the order of the day for Sampson. He's a fantastic fullcourt scorer with speed, bounce and the confidence to employ his talents against even the most predatory, shotblocking big men. He's an effective (albeit) streaky jump shooter as well with ample range past the three-point stripe. He'll need to tighten up his dribbling and get stronger to succeed in halfcourt scenarios.

As mentioned in that analysis, becoming more comfortable in the half-court offense will be perhaps the biggest part of his transition to the next level. The high school game is often more open and free-flowing, which has played to his strengths.

Part of that is also being a more consistent jump-shooter. He will discover that trying to get to the rim is tougher in college. He's shown the ability to make an impact from both mid-range and beyond the arc, but he must do so on a more regular basis.

That said, the outlook as a whole is still very positive. Sampson can score in multiple ways on the offensive end and has shown the drive to battle on the defensive end. LSU is getting a player who could use some polish but has a chance to become a complete package.

He's probably best ticketed for a reserve role at the outset—somebody who can come off the bench to provide an offensive spark when necessary. As long as his development continues at its current rate, however, he'll be a high-impact performer before too long.

Recruit star ratings and rankings via 247Sports, unless otherwise noted.

In one of the most even round-of-64 games from a betting perspective, the eighth-seeded North Carolina State Wolfpack meet the ninth-seeded LSU Tigers in an East Region matchup in Pittsburgh Thursday.

Both teams seem capable of pulling off an upset in the next round, most likely against the top-seeded Villanova Wildcats. But until then, the slightly favored Wolfpack will try to knock out a Tigers team that has gone 7-1 against the spread as an underdog this season.

Opening spread

The Wolfpack opened as 1.5-point favorites. (Compare lines and consensus on the Odds Shark matchup report.)

Why pick LSU to cover the spread

LSU played the top-ranked Kentucky Wildcats better than arguably any other team in the country this season, falling 71-69 but covering the spread as a 10.5-point home underdog back on February 10. Since then, the Tigers have gone 5-3 both straight-up and against the spread, including an 81-78 road victory against the Arkansas Razorbacks as 7.5-point underdogs.

While their ATS record as dogs this year is quite impressive, they will likely need to win this game in order to cover since the spread is so low.

Of course, that is definitely possible considering how well LSU has played on the road lately, winning three of four SU and ATS not counting the team's disappointing 73-70 loss to the Auburn Tigers as 9.5-point favorites on a neutral court in the SEC tournament.

And the computer is picking the upset here, a 73-70 verdict in favor of the Tigers.

Why pick North Carolina State to cover the spread

NC State played well down the stretch before losing to the Duke Blue Devils 77-53 as 8.5-point underdogs in the quarterfinals of the ACC tournament.

The Wolfpack had won six of seven SU and ATS prior to that setback, highlighted by a 58-46 victory against the North Carolina Tar Heels as nine-point underdogs on February 24.

The Wolfpack have lost consecutive games only twice this season, and each of those brief skids included a tough opponent—the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the first losing streak, and the Virginia Cavaliers during the second.

Earlier in the year, NC State upset the Blue Devils 87-75 as a nine-point home underdog, backing up just how good this team can be when playing to its potential. The ACC toughened up the Wolfpack throughout the season, and that should benefit them here against an opponent from the weaker SEC.

Smart betting pick

This is a great matchup between teams from two power conferences, and picking the winner will generally come down to whether you think the ACC or SEC is better. Kentucky was really the only elite team in the SEC this year, but a lot of other schools in the conference still managed to put together winning records within the league to help build their resumes for the Big Dance.

Meanwhile, the ACC is one of the best conferences on an annual basis, and that may be exactly why NC State is a small favorite here. Regardless, LSU is the better team with more wins and should continue its underdog run with another SU victory to move on to the next round.

Power rankings (per Odds Shark power rankings)

LSU Tigers: No. 106

NC State Wolfpack: No. 63

March Madness betting trends

LSU went 7-3 ATS in its final 10 games of the season.

LSU went 7-1 ATS as an underdog this season.

NC State went 7-2 ATS in its final nine games of the season.

All spread and betting line data powered by Odds Shark—download the free Lines and Bet Tracker app in the Apple Store and on Google Play.

LSU coach Johnny Jones hired assistant coach David Patrick last June before his first season in Baton Rouge, a move that hardly got the attention of anyone who follows college basketball at the time.

But looking at it now, that hire should have been classified as "brilliant."

The reason for such hyperbole is Australian big man Ben Simmons, the fourth-ranked player in the 2015 class according to ESPN.com. Simmons gave LSU a verbal commitment on Monday, becoming the first player ranked in the top 20 of his class to make his college choice.

The reason for his decision, after making just one college visit, seems pretty obvious. Simmons is the godson of Patrick, and that connection, if it didn't seal the deal, got LSU off to a nice head start for a player who was being courted by all the major players, including Duke, Kentucky and Kansas. 

"It was a really laid back conversation because I know all of them so well already," Simmons wrote in a blog post for USA Today of his visit over the weekend. "David Patrick is my godfather and he's an assistant there and so I've always felt really comfortable talking with them." 

Simmons, though he's a significant recruit, is just one recruit. And it's not likely that Patrick has other godsons out there looking to save LSU's basketball program.

But the hiring of Patrick goes deeper than winning over just one player.

Simmons is the second Aussie to sign with the Tigers. Darcy Malone, a 7-footer, will be a freshman for the team this year—and it's a pipeline that is likely to continue to be there. 

See, Patrick grew up in Australia and played professionally in Australia, which is when he met Simmons' father, Dave Simmons. And Australia is a recruiting territory worth pursuing. 

The number of Australian-born players making an impact in college basketball is growing by the year, and the programs that have a connection down under are reaping the benefit. 

Saint Mary's is the innovator in this regard, and Randy Bennett has two Australian-born assistants on his staff. The Gaels had four Aussies on their roster last year. The two players most deserving of the credit for turning the program into one of the better mid-majors in the country are both Aussie point guards Patty Mills and Matthew Dellavedova. 

The Gaels have made the NCAA tournament four of the last six years. When Bennett took over the program in 2001, the Gaels were coming off a 2-27 season. 

Boise State has two starters and an assistant coach from Australia and made its first NCAA tournament in five years last season. Boise State coach Leon Rice came from Gonzaga, where Mark Few has long recruited overseas. Few has an assistant, Tommy Lloyd, who played two seasons professionally in Australia. 

New Mexico has two Australians in its starting lineup, who were both recruited by former assistant Ryan Miller, who is now at Auburn. The Lobos took a trip as a team to Australia this summer, and coach Craig Neal now has a former Saint Mary's assistant on his staff. 

Last year alone, a pretty formidable rotation could have been formed with Aussies who played in the NCAA tournament. 

You get the point. Australia has real basketball talent, and those programs out West would not be where they are without those coaches using at least one spot on their staff for an assistant with Australian ties. 

So why don't we see more Australian-connected assistants popping up at Big 12 or ACC or SEC schools? It's hard to win at a place like LSU. Why not gain some kind of recruiting advantage no one else in your conference has? 

Just like those schools out West figured out they had to be different to gain an edge, Jones realized it too. He's obviously a good recruiter in the states—his incoming class was in the top 10 of both Rivals.com's and ESPN.com's rankings—but it's hard to sustain that kind of success when you're not Duke or Kentucky or Kansas. 

But by stretching his recruiting reach to Australia, Jones created a niche that is sustainable.

It wouldn't be surprising to see at least one Aussie in each of LSU's recruiting classes. Along with already getting a commitment from Simmons, the Tigers are in the mix for Dante Exum, who would be one of the best freshmen in the country in 2014-15. 

All this from hiring one coach who spent a good chunk of his life in Australia. 

Again, it's a wonder why more Patricks are not popping up on staffs at big schools. Australian players impacting college basketball cannot be classified as simply a passing trend. Look at that chart again. Go watch some tape of Exum. It could be argued the Aussies are developing their talent better than we are in the States.

Jones noticed. And now he leads the pack in recruiting the 2015 class. 

Versatile five-star forward Jarell Martin decided to stay close to home and attend LSU, which gives Tigers head coach Johnny Jones a marquee prospect to highlight a solid 2013 recruiting class.

A report by Scout.com's Brian Snow on Thursday confirmed Martin's decision.

The Madison Prep Baton Rouge star ranks No. 14 on the ESPN 100 rankings and is a consensus top-20 player in the nation at least. He stands somewhere between 6'8" and 6'9" and has a very unique skill set for his size. Not only does he have an exceptional long-range jumper, but Martin is also comfortable posting up power forwards on the inside.

The length that Martin brings to the table will allow for some flexibility on the defensive end as well.

Numerous top-tier programs, which most notably included UCLA and Louisville, according to Snow, coveted Martin. Ultimately, the hometown lure was too much for any other prospective school to overcome.

As the No. 1 player in the state of Louisiana, the signing of Martin is huge for the Tigers. The current team is very thin at forward, and the departure of center Justin Hamilton was going to make life without Martin very difficult. Martin provides some fortification for the front line if need be, but can be a matchup nightmare at the 3 thanks to his athleticism, length and passing ability.

Jones is a first-year head coach and former point guard for the Tigers, and he adds Martin to the fold along with four-star recruits Tim Quarterman and Jordan Mickey. Junior college transfers Deng Deng and John Odoh will arrive in 2013 as well, setting the Tigers up with a solid foundation to succeed in Jones' first season at the helm.

After graduating from the University of Memphis after last season, guard Charles Carmouche announced he would transfer from Memphis (via aol.sportingnews.com).

According to ESPN.com, Carmouche announced Saturday that he would enroll at Louisiana State University.

Since he is a graduate transfer, he is eligible to play immediately for LSU in the 2012-2013 season. 

Carmouche only played in seven games last season for Memphis after he had some off-the-court issues that resulted in a four-game suspension. He then missed several more games after getting tendinitis in both knees. The NCAA later gave him a medical redshirt.

The 6'3" guard started his college career at the University of New Orleans, where he played for two years before transferring to Memphis. He has career averages of 8.1, 3.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists a game.

LSU's head basketball coach Johnny Jones said of the new addition to his team, "We're excited to have Charles as part of our LSU basketball program. He has an ability to defend and a knack for scoring. With his experience, Charles brings a leadership and a presence to our team that we need heading into the start of preseason workouts."

Carmouche, who is a New Orleans native, brings much needed depth and experience to the Tigers. LSU went 18-15 in Jones' first year as the Tigers head coach.

With the addition of its new transfer, LSU may now have what it needs to handle a tough schedule and make it to the NCAA tournament.

Sitting at 14-10, LSU looks an awful lot like a mediocre team.

With a 4-6 conference record, LSU Basketball looks even worse, especially with its less than stellar road record. The Tigers have lost every conference road matchup, and fell once at home to Kentucky. While losing to a talented Wildcats team at home is no surprise. Being 0-5 on the road, in-conference, is shameful with the talent the Tigers have.

The Tigers beat a depleted Alabama team at home by succeeding at what often doesn't work in the game of basketball, taking three point shots and not running plays.

However, a bright light emerged on the horizon last night in Baton Rouge when freshman Guard Anthony Hickey began to feed the ball to the beasts down low.

Since coming back from an injury, Johnny O'Bryant III has been spectacular for LSU. Add that with the talents of junior center Justin Hamilton, and LSU looks like a nice team. Hickey is also a nice addition to the line-up.

The problem lies in the fact that LSU does not know how to run an offense. 

Want to see a bunch of players take idiotic three point shots and miss them? Go to an LSU basketball game.

As a fan, I'm sick of seeing players take three point shots when LSU's post presence is the most impressive in the SEC. Just take a look at the physical size of O'Bryant and Hamilton in comparison with everyone else.

Kentucky freshman Anthony Davis would be most people's pick for the best post player in the SEC. But in comparison to O'Bryant and Hamilton, he is a twig.

LSU has big physical players. Davis is simply a highly touted, talented twig.

The only way for LSU to make the NCAA Tournament is for them to take advantage of this. Last night showcased that. Alabama was not able to out-rebound LSU, nor were they able to defend the stellar post shots that Hamilton and O'Bryant were taking.

I do not believe that LSU can beat Kentucky unless Ralston Turner and Andre Stringer stop shooting idiotic three-pointers with reckless abandon. Turner is a 3-star recruit. He needs to stop attempting difficult shots as if he is the best player in the nation.

If LSU can continue to feed the ball to the beasts down low and start to implement some kind of play book. They can win out and have a slim shot at the NCAA Tournament, pending a good showing in the SEC tournament.

"Pistol" Pete Maravich is a basketball legend who will live on, whether it be by word of mouth, written word or even in online videos of him that have gone viral.

He will always be revered by basketball junkies and sports fans alike for his ostentatious dribbling, infinite shooting range and ghoulishly grand passing abilities.

Maravich's overall skill set is truly awe-inspiring, especially since he played during the 1970s. Most of the passes and dribbling moves he made were unthinkable at the time.

When he played at LSU, under the coaching of his tyrannical father Press Maravich, he averaged an abundant 44.2 points per game over three seasons.

The fact that he was a guard is impressive enough. Add in that he played before the three-point line was implemented and the achievement seems nearly impossible.

Opponents would've then had to step out further to guard him, allowing him to blast by them with his exquisite ball handling ability. He would either get fouled or drive and then kick the ball out to an open teammate, making his dizzying array of skills that much more threatening.

Had he ever gotten the chance to play for someone like John Wooden, he may have received sanctuary from his father, allowing him to strike a greater balance between scorer and facilitator.

This could have allowed him to become a more versatile athlete, and more importantly a more well-balanced human being.

Unfortunately for Maravich, having the blessing of playing with a gentler father figure-type like John Wooden wasn't the journey bestowed upon him.

He will likely go down as arguably the greatest college player of all time, simply because he reached such incredible statistical heights with such a mediocre cast.

Aside from his contributions being light years ahead of his time, dealing with a domineering father that eventually led to his alcoholic reclusiveness by his late teens, make his accomplishments tragically dichotomous.

On one hand, he will be venerated as one of the most gifted players to ever pick up a basketball, while contrarily, quite possibly being the most tortured player to ever play the game as well.

Although he never won a championship at LSU or in the NBA, realizing what he went through to become the player that he did may justify the absences of his aformentioned achievements, while making the legacy he left behind that much more endearing.

Let me start by getting something off my chest. If the LSU Tigers beat No. 11 Marquette on Monday, they will make the NCAA tournament.

Now that my prediction is out of the way, I believe some explanation is necessary. 

Basketball and LSU do not often go hand-in-hand. Marcus Thornton and Tazmin Mitchell are LSU's most recent memories of basketball. However, Trent Johnson may have started a basketball revival at LSU. Fans were able to get excited for the first time in years last season with the addition of Ralston Turner, who regularly scored 20 points per game until he was injured.

This year, Johnson added guards Anthony Hickey and John Issac as well as 4-star center Johnny O'Bryant. These additions have had an immediate impact and Johnson has already secured another four-star recruit in regard to next year. 

At 7-3 the Tigers are nothing to shake a stick at, but they have not entered the upper echelon of college basketball, yet.

Their schedule is not reflective of impressive teams. Although there are several great teams upcoming, Marquette is the first real test. The Tigers have beaten an impressive Boise State team, but that is about it. Marquette, on the other hand, has already played a rigorous non-conference schedule and is clearly a better team with a much richer basketball history.

I cannot logically admit LSU is a better team. I can confidently say the Tigers can win. The game against Marquette is a home game, which is the only real advantage. But that advantage is huge. The Tigers win in Baton Rouge, it is just what they do. Whether it is football, basketball, baseball or track, LSU finds ways to win.

The other thing to consider is that LSU's team is inexperienced and has nothing to lose. If they lose this game, the media will blame the loss on superior competition. If they win, maybe they should be in the conversation for the SEC West championship. Trent Johnson has a history of success with the University of Nevada-Reno and it might be his time to taste success in Baton Rouge.

If the Tigers win, they will carry a lot of valuable momentum into their Jan. 2 game against an impressive Virginia team, and subsequently into conference play.

They will play seven ranked teams in conference play. They certainly have their work cut out for them. But momentum is important, and if the Tigers win on Monday they will show they have the talent to make some noise in the college basketball world.

Most fans of college basketball will cringe at the thought of LSU being relevant again. The last time LSU had a decent team was in the days of Marcus Thornton. Since then, LSU has been a joke in the college basketball world.

LSU brings four highly-touted freshmen onto a team that underwhelmed tremendously last year with an 11-20 record. They were beat by over 40 points by a Kentucky team which is relevant in the college basketball world, showing exactly how far LSU has to climb.

If sophomore guard Ralston Turner can stay healthy, and if highly-praised, 5-star recruit Johnny O'Bryant III can be a solid contributor in the post, LSU will make the NCAA tournament.

Hold on to your seats, ladies and gentleman. LSU is going to take the SEC world by storm this year. With a player named Storm Warren, how could you not.

I concede that it will be many centuries before LSU can compete on the same level as Kentucky. This year expect LSU to make some noise and possibly score an upset against a constantly rebuilding Kentucky team and a Tennessee team that always seems to under-achieve.

In their first outing of the season against Nicholls State—a school which admittedly is awful at basketball in comparison to the schools LSU will compete against down the road—LSU manhandled the colonels and had several players score in double digits. To be exact, seven players scored more than ten points.

If Trent Johnson, LSU's basketball coach, can unify the team and use the talent he has built in the several young players which occupy his roster, I see a team that won't see it's first loss until mid-January against Alabama. Although it is way to far in advance to predict a record for the men's basketball team, I predict it will be strong year for basketball with Nikki Caldwell taking the helm at head coach for the women's team and the men's team finally putting their young talent to use. 

Just a typical late February weekday in the world of college basketball…

Implications begin to rise with each passing night. Who made the best of it? Who couldn’t take advantage?

Winners:

Notre Dame (18-10, 7-8): They needed a win, they got a win, and they did it without their best player. Luke Harangody did not play, but the Fighting Irish got a win at home over No. 16 Pittsburgh, and in pretty convincing fashion, 68-53.

Cincinnati (16-11, 7-8): A loss to DePaul would have crippled them. They survived at home and for now stay afloat in a push for the NCAA Tournament.

Charlotte (19-8, 9-4): They need to make a statement down the stretch to get back in the NCAA Tournament discussion. A 37 point victory over St. Joseph’s is a start.

LSU (10-17, 1-12): They beat Arkansas at home, 65-54, and finally got their first SEC win.

Stony Brook (21-7, 13-2): They took care of Vermont to clinch the America East regular season title.

Texas (22-6, 8-5): The Longhorns won at home over Oklahoma State. Tonight they are winners, despite their recent struggles.

Losers:

Virginia Tech (21-6, 8-5): They fell into the trap and couldn’t beat Boston College in Chestnut Hill. After their loss to Duke on Sunday, they ride a two-game losing streak and now prepare for a test with Maryland on Saturday.

San Diego State (20-8, 9-5): They had an opportunity to get a big win at BYU and couldn’t do it. They lost 82-68.

Arkansas (14-14, 7-6): They led the SEC West and handed LSU their first win in SEC play. This just goes to show how weak that side of the conference is.

Saint Louis (18-9, 9-4): They had Xavier at home and a real opportunity to put the pressure on the top of the Atlantic 10. They lost 73 to 71.

Wichita State (22-8, 11-6): They lost on the road at Bradley, their sixth loss in the MVC. They have to win the conference tournament if they want to dance.