Hoops Habit
Fansided

NCAA Tournament Bubble Watch: 5 Teams That Need Help

By Nathan Giese

Feb 13, 2016; Wichita, KS, USA; Wichita State Shockers head coach Gregg Marshall speaks with an official about a call during a game with the the Northern Iowa Panthers at Charles Koch Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary Rohman/USA TODAY Sports
Feb 13, 2016; Wichita, KS, USA; Wichita State Shockers head coach Gregg Marshall speaks with an official about a call during a game with the the Northern Iowa Panthers at Charles Koch Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary Rohman/USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 6
Next
Feb 10, 2016; Columbia, SC, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks fans shout at LSU Tigers forward Ben Simmons (25) in the second half at Colonial Life Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 10, 2016; Columbia, SC, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks fans shout at LSU Tigers forward Ben Simmons (25) in the second half at Colonial Life Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports /

LSU Tigers

A team that really has no business being in the NCAA Tournament right now is starting to get it together, though they’re lacking in one crucial area.

LSU has picked up some nice wins since getting Keith Hornsby and Craig Victor on the floor together. They added to that by knocking off Texas A&M, a team with plenty of questions of its own, but this isn’t about them right now.

Despite that win, Palm isn’t exactly buying LSU’s NCAA Tournament profile.

The win was definitely needed and it does add to the Tigers’ profile. They can now claim wins over the Aggies and Kentucky. Beyond that, though, it’s a lot of….

ZOLTAN!
ZOLTAN! /

If you’re confused by the gif, it’s because it’s a representation of LSU’s overall resume. Those two wins are nice, and they have some defeats that would be considered “good losses,” but the rest of it is really suspect.

Their lack of wins on the road is probably the glaring issue for Ben Simmons’ team (I mean, it is his team, right? He’s the only one anybody talks about, anyway). Success has been easier at home for LSU (13-2), but on the road, they really haven’t stood out. Or stood up.

The Tigers are just 3-5 on the road this season. Three of LSU’s final six games of the regular season are on the road. They’ll need to win all three to finish with a winning road record.

Here’s a disclaimer since LSU is going to be talked to death over the next month: the NCAA Tournament doesn’t need Ben Simmons and Ben Simmons doesn’t exactly need the NCAA Tournament. LSU needs the NCAA Tournament.

While it’d be nice to see Simmons and the Tigers in a tournament game, don’t try to spout the nonsense that the tournament needs him. It’ll do just fine.

Next: Vanderbilt