Verge Ausberry: If Matt McMahon doesn't take LSU to NCAA Tournament, 'We'll have to reevaluate'

Verge Aubserry was clear when outlining the expectation he has for Matt McMahon’s LSU basketball this season. His statement comes after the Tigers’ 0-3 start to SEC play.

“If he doesn’t make it (the NCAA Tournament),” Ausberry told Tiger Rag’s Glenn Guilbeau on Tuesday “We’ll have to reevaluate.”

In his first three seasons at LSU, McMahon compiled a 45-53 record. Two of three were losing seasons and the best saw LSU finish 17-16 overall.

However, LSU jumped out to a 12-1 start to the season during non-conference play. The Tigers won their first eight games before falling to a ranked Texas Tech team 82-58 on Dec. 7. LSU followed that up with a 12-point victory over SMU and would eventually enter conference play on a four-game win streak.

SEC play hasn’t been so kind to LSU, however. Losing straight games to Texas A&M, South Carolina and Vanderbilt, the Tigers now host Kentucky on Wednesday night with a chance to earn a statement win over ailing Wildcats. Despite the slow start, expectations remain the same in the eyes of LSU’s AD.

“We’ve already had some discussions about what the expectations are,” Ausberry said. “One thing we want to do is make sure we’re in the NCAA Tournament.

“We made that very clear to Matt at the beginning of the year – that’s where we need to be. … If something changes, and it it looks better, if the team gives us some hope somewhere, we can look at it,” Ausberry said. “But we’d like to be as close to the NCAA Tournament as possible this year.”

If LSU’s NCAA Tournament hopes come true, they’ll need the services of leading scorer with Dedan Thomas Jr. It’s no coincidence that LSU’s three-game SEC skid has coincided with the loss of Thomas to injury.

Averaging 16.2 points per game this season, Thomas has been the driving force to LSU’s efforts during the non-conference portion of the season. However, Thomas suffered a lower leg injury right before the SEC opener against Texas A&M.

Thomas is doubtful to play against Kentucky on Wednesday tonight, but Kentucky also won’t have star big man Jayden Quantaince for the matchup. UK’s lone point guard Jaland Lowe is also going to miss the rest of the season with a shoulder injury as well, so that bodes in LSU’s favor. Tip-off for the game is set for 7 p.m. ET live on the SEC Network as LSU looks to avoid an 0-4 start to SEC play.