LSU receives NIT bid, will host first round game vs. North Texas
The NIT bracket was revealed on Sunday night and LSU not only made the field, but was one of the automatic qualifiers from the SEC, meaning it is hosting its first round game.
The Tigers are a No. 4 seed and face North Texas in the first round. If the Tigers win, they’ll face the winner of Seton hall and Saint Josephs. Here are the dates to know before we get details.
- First round games are March 19-20
- Second round games are March 23-24
- The quarterfinal games are March 26-27
- The 2024 NIT semifinals are at 7 p.m. (ESPN) and 9:30 p.m. (ESPN2) on April 2
- The 2024 NIT championship game is at 7 p.m. ET on April 4 on ESPN
LSU lost in the second round of the SEC Tournament to Mississippi State last week, dropping them to 17-15 overall with a 9-9 record in conference. With a NET ranking of 94, the Tigers received an automatic berth into the tournament and a chance to extend their season.
In year two under Matt McMahon, LSU went from two conference wins to nine, surging into the top half of the conference. With a senior-laden roster, the Tigers have found ways to grind out games, but also have a handful of underclassmen who continue to develop significantly over the course of the season.
“The SEC is the best league in the league and you know the talent is off the charts,” McMahon said. “You’ve got multiple Hall of Fame coaches. The rim protection is incredible. You have to be able to finish plays at the rim. If you go in with soft layups you’re not going to make them in this league. That certainly stands out.”
It’s been a learning curve for the Tigers throughout the year and the injuries to Daimion Collins and Carlos Stewart have certainly not helped. In addition the suspension of Jalen Cook, their starting point guard, further put McMahon’s team in a tough spot.
However, now they have a chance to host a postseason game and further build excitement for the future in the NIT. It’s an opportunity McMahon is excited to build on.
”I have great admiration and respect for the effort of our players today,” McMahon said on Thursday. “They came in locked in and ready to go. They competed at the highest level on defense and on the glass, but unfortunately we weren’t able to score enough or slow them down once Hubbard got going. I am really proud of our players for their response once adversity hit multiple times this season and hopefully we’ll have the opportunity to continue to play.”
