Skip to main content
LSU

LSU's center position gains importance alongside Jalen Cook

On3 imageby: Matthew Brune12/19/23MatthewBrune_
Will Baker LSU
Will Baker LSU

LSU continues to prepare for the final two games of the non-conference as it approaches a game on Thursday vs. Lamar and a looming break for the holidays before conference play. 

The debut of transfer guard Jalen Cook opened up the offense for LSU to the tune of 85 points and one of the best offensive showings of the season in Houston on Saturday. Hunter Dean was a perfect complement to the Tigers’ point guard and further opened the door for the center position to take a step forward for the remainder of the season. Dean ended with 11 points and five rebounds in 28 minutes.

“You see with Jalen’s ability off ball screens it opens up the spacing on the floor and it opens up opportunities for a screen and roll threat which we hope will lead to other post opportunities as well,” LSU head coach Matt McMahon said. “That was Jalen Cook’s first game, so he’ll knock some of the rust off, and it was also our forwards first time playing with him in a game setting.That’ll take time to build up that chemistry in games.”

While Dean has thrived in the past two games, Will Baker has struggled recently, scoring 15 points in the last three games on 6-of-20 shooting from the field. The senior center looks to regain his confidence before heading into SEC play.

“Will is going to be fine,” McMahon said. “He was in and out of practice for a couple of weeks and he’s getting back healthy. The biggest key is just to forget about the challenges of the last two games and just practice and play with great energy and have fun. He’s going to be fine and I look towards seeing his impact in these last two non-conference games.”

One of the more underrated LSU storylines this season has been the injury to Daimion Collins, the transfer center from Kentucky. A former five-star prospect, Collins has shown legitimate flashes throughout the year, but a shoulder injury has held him out of the last five games.

McMahon had an update for Collins as the Tigers will need him in the SEC and his ability to compliment Cook on offense.

“Daimion had his first full contact practice yesterday and we’ll see how he responds this afternoon,” McMahon said. “He looked good and ran the floor well and made plays above the rim yesterday, so we’ll see how he practices the rest of the week and we’ll have an update on his status after the game on Thursday.”

Sitting at 6-5 on the year, LSU is starting to get healthy and whole just in time for SEC competition. The performance in the loss to Texas was promising, but there’s still work to do as the Tigers hope to be the surprise team in the conference in 2024.

You may also like