Tiger Tipoff Preview: LSU

Prior to each of the major non-conference games and every SEC game for the Tigers, we will post the Tiger Tipoff Preview to get you set for the matchup. Here is our preview of today's matchup at LSU.

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Missouri (11-12) vs LSU (17-6)

WHEN: 8:00 p.m.

WHERE: Pete Maravich Assembly Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

TV: SEC Network

RADIO: Tiger Radio Network (Mike Kelly, Chris Gervino)

SERIES: LSU leads 7-2 (LSU won last season 86-80 in OT)

KenPom Prediction: LSU 79-68

1. Avoid a slow start. In both of Missouri's two road losses last week, the Tigers appeared sluggish early, got behind by double-digits in the first half and never really had a hope of erasing the deficit. Now, they will face an LSU team returning home, desperate for a win after consecutive road losses. You can bet the home Tigers will come out of the gates ready to play. Missouri has to find a way to match LSU's energy early. This team isn't well equipped to come from behind against any opponent, but especially against a talented LSU team that has scored 81.3 points per game during conference play.

2. Control the paint. LSU doesn't have a true "five" in its starting lineup, yet it does most of its offensive damage inside the three-point arc. LSU scores 56.3 percent of its points from two-point range, which ranks seventh in the country. Perhaps even more problematic for Missouri, LSU ranks 10th in offensive rebounding percentage and 27th in percentage of points from the free throw line. In its recent games, Missouri's success has directly correlated to the play of its bigs. The Tigers got dominated on the glass and outscored in the paint against both Texas A&M and South Carolina, then flipped the script in Saturday's win over Arkansas. Missouri also ranks No. 343 — 11th worst in the country — in foul rate. With no Jeremiah Tilmon, Missouri will need its whole lineup to help defend the paint and hang in the rebounding battle.

3. Hit some threes. The common thread between LSU's two losses last week was that its opponents shot the lights out from three-point range. Vanderbilt hit 12 threes, Auburn hit 18 and both teams shot better than 40 percent from behind the arc. Unfortunately, it's been a while since Missouri had a shooting performance like that from the perimeter, especially on the road. The Tigers have shot worse than 30 percent from three-point range in three straight games and seven of their last eight. They haven't made more than one-third of their threes in a road game all season. The scouting report against Missouri has pretty clearly become to let it take threes rather than get to the basket, and if Missouri is going to have any hope of scoring with LSU, it is going to have to hit some shots from the outside. Getting Mark Smith back in the lineup — he's considered a game-time decision once again — would help in that regard.

LSU is clearly one of the three most talented teams in the SEC, and Missouri draws it at a tough time. LSU should be hungry to break its two-game losing streak, while Missouri hasn't won a game away from Mizzou Arena since the calendar flipped to 2020. Not only that, Missouri has averaged just 55 points per game in its last four road losses. LSU is going to put up points, and it seems unlikely Missouri's offense can keep pace.

FINAL SCORE: LSU 85, Missouri 67