Time: 9:30 PM EST
Spread: LSU -4.5
Total: 135
M/L: LSU -190, SH +160
Betting Odds from Bookmaker
SETON HALL
Seton Hall has a 5-1 record, but it couldn’t be any more deceiving. They’ve beat five mediocre opponents and lost to the only decent school they played: Washington, by nine in OT.
Last year, the Pirates went 21-13 and lost to UMass in the second round of the NIT. Athlon magazine predicts a return to the NIT for the Pirates, who fell apart last year in mid-July after starting out the season impressively. It was the first time, still, that they won 20 games since the 2003-04 season, though, so things are looking better for a program that is looking to return to the vaunted state it was once in.
6’6″ swingman Faquan Edwin showed All Big-East talent last year, posting 12.5 points per game and grabbing 6.2 rebounds per night, and he’s been the best player thus far this season.
Edwin has posted 19.7 points per game and grabbed six rebounds per game again, while shooting an outstanding 51 percent from the floor. He’s playing just under 30 minutes per game for the Pirates, who feature an eight man rotation and have seven of the eight playing 23 minutes or more per night.
Edwin’s scoring is joined by the production of Southern Illinois transfer Gene Teague (13.3 points per game, 8.8 rebounds per game) and 6’3″ sophomore guard Aaron Cosby who is posting 11.4 points per game after putting up just 7.9 per game last year as a freshman. Cosby showed great three-point ability last season, shooting 37.7 percent from behind the arc and this year he is hitting 40 percent from three.
The trio of Edwin, Teague and Cosby average a total of 45.4 points per game, which is 62 percent of the Pirates scoring this season.
LSU
LSU is undefeated this season after four games, but like Seton Hall, they have yet to play any good opponents. They barely escaped with a 102-95 win over Northwestern State, and tonight will be their first test as 4.5 point favorites over the Pirates.
The Tigers have been rebounding the ball very well so far, averaging 45.5 rebounds per game, a result of both fast paced game and excellent interior play. Both Shavon Coleman and Johnny O’Bryant III are averaging eight boards per night, and the duo combines for 29.6 points per game. In addition to the output of Coleman and O’Bryant, Anthony Hickey and Charles Carmouche average double-figure scoring as well.
The Tigers feature a a ten-man rotation that is sure to test the Pirates, who just don’t have the depth to put up with the Tigers.LSU finished 18-15 last year with a 7-9 record in the SEC, but are predicted by Athlon magazine to finish 12th in the SEC this year after losing Justin Hamilton’s 12 points per game and the production of both Ralston Turner and Storm Warren, who both played instrumental roles last year.
Coleman remains the key for the Tigers, as the 6’6″ junior played JUCO level and came in ready to produce. He’s been a pleasant surprise for LSU fans, and throwing out the opening night game against UC Santa Barbara, he is averaging 20.7 points per game. He put up 25 against McNeese State on 10-of-16 shooting, as the Tigers won by 25 points in a game that was never close.
