The LSU Tigers' season hangs in the balance. With a key player back, two crucial games will determine Matt McMahon's Tigers tenure.
The excuses are running out for Matt McMahon and the LSU Tigers Men's Basketball team. These next two games could end up deciding his future in Baton Rouge.
Things have once again taken a turn for the worse as the Tigers get deeper into the SEC schedule. They entered at 12-1 and now sit at 13-7. Their once real NCAA tournament hopes have begun to dwindle.
McMahon did have somewhat of an excuse, though. This team and offense were built around having DJ Thomas running things.
It was a fair bet to make. Thomas is averaging 15.3 points per game with a career-high and SEC-leading 6.7 assists. He has great chemistry with Mike Nwoko, and the team has just run smoother with him at the helm.
The problem is that he got hurt just as SEC play got underway and missed the first few games. The team fell into a rut and has won just one conference game.
Thomas was back on the bench against the Florida Gators and looked rough, but it was his first game back. He was in the starting lineup for the last game against the Arkansas Razorbacks, and it was actually an alright performance. They lost, but it was only by four on the road against a ranked opponent.
With Thomas back, the excuses are gone for McMahon. This LSU squad must at least be competitive for the rest of the season and their next two outings might be must-win games.
Next on the schedule is a home game on Wednesday against the 10-10 Mississippi State Bulldogs. After that is a road game against the 11-9 South Carolina Gamecocks. If the Tigers don't win both of those matchups, McMahon might be past the point of no return.
These are two games where LSU will be favored. A good chance for McMahon to show that they can at least win games they are supposed to. On the other hand, losses in either would just prove the Tigers' doubters right.
His time at LSU has not been successful. No one expected it to be a quick turnaround, but this is year four, and there has arguably been no improvement. They've gotten better against non-conference opponents, but that is no good. The Tigers are 15-46 against SEC teams during his tenure, and that is propped up by a 9-9 season in his second year. Every other year has had a winning percentage below .170.
With all of the changes being made in the athletic department, Men's Basketball is probably next. McMahon was a Scott Woodward hire, who is obviously now gone. Verge Ausberry will not be afraid to make a change.