Update on LSU's star point guard ahead of crucial SEC game

LSU point guard Dedan Thomas has been sidelined for the Tigers’ first four games of the SEC season and with that the Tigers have dropped to 0-4 in conference. The most recent loss to Kentucky was a heartbreaker on a buzzer-beater to beat the Tigers.

The Tigers miss their top player and have struggled to find enough offense to get that first win in the SEC, failing to score 75 in any game.

LSU takes on Missouri on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. in the PMAC and the night before, the Tigers submitted their official injury report, which included Thomas as “doubtful” once again. After the loss to Kentucky, McMahon was asked how close Thomas was to playing and he once again did not have a definitive answer.

“I know it can come across as gamesmanship, but just so everyone’s aware of how the SEC’s availability works, if there’s a chance he could play, we’re going to list him as doubtful for now,” McMahon said. “We don’t want to put anybody as out the night before a game and then have them show up the next day and play — there are a lot of reasons for that.

He’s gone from clearly being out to doubtful. He’s making great progress and is still day to day. He’s started back running and jumping. He’d give anything to be on the floor, he just can’t cut, jump, and do everything at full speed yet to allow him to get back out there. He’s making great progress, and I know he wants to play. Hopefully it’ll be sooner rather than later, but I’m not trying to duck the question, I just don’t have a timeline other than day to day.”

A loss on Saturday would dig an 0-5 hole as LSU heads on the road against Arkansas and Florida next.

LSU vs. Missouri preview

It will be Alumni Day for the LSU men’s basketball team Saturday at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center as the LSU Tigers host the Missouri Tigers at 2:30 p.m.

Featured will be a halftime salute and introduction of many members of the 1986 NCAA Final Four team, at that time the lowest seeded team (11) to make the Final Four under Coach Dale Brown. The team won its opening two games in the then LSU Assembly Center and advanced to regional play in Atlanta where they defeated Georgia Tech and Kentucky.

Tickets for the game are available at LSUTix.net and beginning one hour prior to tipoff at the upper concourse ticket windows of the Maravich Center. LSU students are admitted free of charge. LSU Geaux hats will be given out to the first 500 students.

LSU comes in at 12-5 and 0-4 in the SEC after the heartbreaking 75-74 loss to Kentucky here in Baton Rouge on Tuesday night, while Missouri was an 84-74 home winner over Auburn to run its record to 13-4 and 3-1 in the league, part of a five-way tie at the top of the SEC through two weeks of play.

LSU has had overall success with Missouri since the teams began playing with a 12-5 mark in games played and 7-1 in Baton Rouge. LSU’s last win in the series came two years ago on March 9, 2024 when the LSU scored an 84-80 win.

In the Auburn win, Jayden Stone led Mizzou with 22 points, six boards and three assists, with Mark Mitchell adding 12 and a team high five assists. Trent Pierce scored 18, T.O. Barrett rounded out the double figure scorers with 13. Missouri shot 56.3 percent for the game with nine three-pointers.

Mitchell leads the team in scoring at 17.5 points a game with Stone at 14.7, Jacob Crews at 12.1. Pierce is also in double figures at 10.8 and Anthony Robinson II comes in at 10.6 Missouri averages 81.8 points a game. In league play, Mitchell is averaging 18.8 points, with Stone at 16.8 for Coach Dennis Gates, who is in his fourth season at Mizzou.

It took a three-quarter pass and then a 17-foot jump shot by Kentucky to stop one of the Tigers better efforts in league play. Five Tigers scored in double figures with Max Mackinnon and Marquel Sutton each scoring 16 points. Rashad King, who got his first start of his LSU career at guard, came in with 12 points.

LSU shot the ball well overall at 23-of-47 field goals (48.7 percent) and 47 percent from distance (9-of-19).

Point guard DJ Thomas’ status will be updated on the SEC Availability Report at 7:10 p.m. this evening.

After Saturday’s game, the Tigers will be on the road for a week with games at Florida and Arkansas before returning to the Maravich Center on Jan. 28 to face Mississippi State.

*LSU press release