LSU’s Ben Simmons was the first major college player with 20 points, 20 rebounds, and 5 assists since Blake Griffin in 2008. (Photo courtesy CBS Sports)
No. 22 LSU lost to Marquette last night in the semifinals of the Legends Classic, 81-80. It was the Tigers’ first defeat of the season and it probably came much earlier than many people anticipated, as the hype surrounding this team is as big as its been around any LSU team since Shaquille O’Neal left Baton Rouge for the NBA in 1992.
The Tigers failed their first big test and there aren’t many more big games before conference play begins on Jan. 2 against Vanderbilt. LSU faces a solid N.C. State team tonight and will take on Wake Forest, who just beat No. 14 Indiana, on Dec. 29; outside of that the Tigers will have to be careful about getting cavities from all the cupcakes they’ll see over the next month or so.
In last night’s game, both LSU’s immense potential and its flaws were on full display. The Tigers are as athletic as any team in college basketball. They are long and they are fast. Johnny Jones has a number of interchangeable players at the guard and forward positions. They can fill passing lanes and are a terror on the fast break. At the same time, LSU is frustrating in the half court, both offensively and defensively. They fall in love too quickly with the three pointer and they will struggle against teams with strong post play.
Against a mediocre Marquette squad, the Tigers shot 37 percent from the floor (8-27 on three pointers) and allowed the Golden Eagles to make nearly 52 percent of their field goal attempts. LSU was also beaten on the boards, as they were outrebounded 46-40. The Tigers did force 22 turnovers that led to 19 points.
One thing that the Tigers do not have to worry about is the play of Ben Simmons. Having watched Simmons twice in person and twice on television, it is clear that he is deserving of the advance billing that he received. The freshman had 21 points, 20 rebounds, seven assists, and two steals while playing all 40 minutes. His athleticism is off the charts, along with his complete understanding of the game and his ability to anticipate what other players will do on the court.
So much is expected of the young Australian that people went nuts over him passing up the final shot…four games into the season. That amounts to saying Jennifer Lopez is gorgeous, but she’s 46. Let it go.
The best thing about Ben Simmons’ game is that it has something for everyone. If you enjoy jaw-dropping plays like his coast-to-coast drive and dunk that took over the internet last night, he gives you that. If you enjoy the subtle pleasure of the perfect bounce pass, Simmons can do that too.
While Simmons looks like he hasn’t yet shaved, it is obvious that he is a man among boys at the collegiate level. He doesn’t belong here. He’s like a gifted child in a classroom full of “average” kids. Things move too slowly for him.
So LSU fans and college basketball fans alike should savor these next few months. They will go by quickly. These are not the days when you got to watch greatness unfold before you.
The potential is there for this to be a historic season for the Tigers. They could win an SEC championship, make a Final Four or even win a national title, but the story all season long will be Ben Simmons. He’ll be here for just one year, but I believe that Simmons will create enough memories this season to keep him etched in our memories for decades.
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