The Morning Brew: LSU Baseball's fast start, a new basketball commit

The latest LSU news from Tuesday morning ranges from the best start to a baseball season under Jay Johnson to a head-turning commitment for men’s basketball.

The Bengal Tiger’s Shea Dixon has the latest for Tigers fans as No. 1 LSU stays red-hot out of the gates coming off a National Championship a season ago, while Matt McMahon and the men’s basketball staff reeled in an overnight commitment from a veteran guard who isn’t from the high school level or NCAA Transfer Portal.

LSU adds a 22-year old NBL guard to next season’s roster

The latest commitment for Matt McMahon’s roster next season arrived on Monday evening – and it wasn’t a high school or transfer portal addition.

Instead, the LSU Basketball staff dipped into the National Basketball League.

With LSU assistant David Patrick’s ties abroad, notably in Australia, it’s no surprise the Tigers were able to come away with a commitment from a 22-year old professional guard who is looking to head to the United States to play collegiate basketball next season.

Australia’s Owen Foxwell committed to McMahon and LSU on Monday evening, which was first reported by Jonathan Givony and later confirmed to On3 sources.

Foxwell is a 6-foot-2 guard who has averaged 11.1 points, 4.5 assists, and three rebounds on 41-percent shooting in Australia’s top basketball league this year. A season ago, Foxwell averaged 7.9 points and 2.5 minutes in 28 games.

LSU already has a strong 2026 recruiting class with 4-star wing Kevin Thomas, four-star guard Herly Brutus, and Australian wing Marcus Vaughns, but at 22 years of age, Foxwell is significantly older – meaning he will be expected to become an immediate impact player on the LSU roster next season.

Of note, Vaughns – who prepped at the NBA Global Academy – has already joined the LSU program and is taking a redshirt this season.

“He’ll be able to join our scout team, the one-on-one time in the gym, the five extra months he’ll get to spend with (Strength and Conditioning Coach Mike) Chatman in the weight room along with just the overall acclimation to college,” McMahon said. “He’s played on the international circuit, so he’s been away from home, but still, I think, having this semester head start will really benefit him with his transition here to LSU. So I think there’s only positives to take from it.”

LSU Baseball picks up where the Tigers left off in Omaha

LSU Baseball is coming off a National Championship without missing a beat.

5 wins across five games over the past week improved LSU to 8-0 on the season, which is the best eight-game start during head coach Jay Johnson’s five seasons in Baton Rouge – which already includes two National Championship wins in Omaha.

With the fast start, the Tigers remained No. 1 in the Coaches Poll and Perfect Game while staying at No. 2 behind top-ranked UCLA in the Baseball America and D1 Baseball Top 25 polls.

No matter which poll fans follow, LSU Baseball is clearly poised for another season where hopes are set at reaching Omaha – and making noise in the team’s title defense campaign.

LSU put together an impressive 3-0 record across three games at the Live Like Lou Jax College Classic this past weekend Jacksonville. That included wins over Indiana, Notre Dame and UCF. LSU outscored the aforementioned trio of teams 34-11.

Then, there was a pitching performance that brought much-needed confidence to one of the team’s best young arms.

Right-hander William Schmidt was named the MVP of the Live Like Lou Jax College Classic after he threw 5.0 shutout innings on Sunday to defeat UCF and clinch the tournament title for LSU. Schmidt limited UCF to no runs on three hits with one walk and seven strikeouts. On 91 pitches, Schmidt threw 57 for strikes on a day when the sophomore retired nine of the first 10 batters that he faced.