Thought by some, including us here at GMS, as a long-shot to make the NCAA Tournament come Selection Sunday, LSU earned a nine-seed, and a shot at turning around a season that had started to fall apart down the stretch.
Losing to NC State in the first round of the Big Dance was LSU’s third loss in their final four games, and it set the stage for two top players to leave school for professional pursuits. Fear not, though, as the Tigers don’t look to be going anywhere soon.
Excited to welcome Brandon Sampson and his wonderful family to LSU TIGER NATION! GEAUXTIGERS! pic.twitter.com/BELYY6DEoW
— Johnny Jones (@LSUCoachJones) April 20, 2015
Key Losses: Jarell Martin (NBA Draft), Jordan Mickey (NBA Draft)
Possible Losses: No announcements made
Key Returners: Keith Hornsby, Tim Quarterman, Josh gray, Jalyn Patterson
Key Newcomers: Ben Simmons (five-star, forward), Antonio Blakeney (five-star, shooting guard), Brandon Sampson (four-star, shooting guard)
Breakdown: There will be no shortage of talent in Baton Rouge next season, with the Tigers bringing back two double-digit scorers in Hornsby (13.4 points per game) and Quarterman (11.5 points per game) to pair with one of the nation’s top recruiting classes. Simmons is either the No. 1 or No. 2 recruit in the nation depending on the ranking service you frequent, and Blakeney chose the Tigers over offers from every major program across the country. The luxury of bringing in Sampson, Louisiana’s top-ranked prospect for the class, is that he won’t be pressured into a a huge scoring role right away. Both Hornsby and Quarterman can take on the kinds of roles they did last season, while both Blakeney and Sampson find their own rhythm in college ball. The most interesting story-line for LSU is how they use Simmons, who can play every position on the basketball court, and is so dynamic with the ball in his hands.
