There is a sure way to work your way into a basketball coach’s heart. And the starting lineup.
It’s the little things. Rebounding. Playing defense. Scrapping for loose balls. Scoring, of course. Making your mark in virtually every meaningful positive stat — and none of the negative ones.
That’s what LSU guard Aundre Hyatt did Saturday in the Tigers’ first-round NCAA tournament game against St. Bonaventure.
His best game as a Tiger is a big reason the Tigers have a second-round game to play Monday against East No. 1 seed Michigan.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — St. Bonaventure went into its first-round NCAA tournament assignment Saturday wanting and hoping to keep the score in the …
Hyatt has been overshadowed his entire college career since he took his game from The Bronx in New York, where playground ball is virtually and art form, to LSU. He came to Baton Rouge as part of the Tigers’ glittering 2018 class, his three stars easily eclipsed by five-star former Tigers Naz Reid and Emmitt Williams, and current four-star starters Javonte Smart and Darius Days.
Hyatt let his light shine in LSU’s 76-61 victory, so brightly that not even Cam Thomas’ shimmering 27 points and double-doubles from two other Tigers could keep you from noticing it.
What better time for your best game than in the season’s biggest moment, the moment when it is win-or-go-home? Hyatt did that on the legendary court at Indiana’s Assembly Hall in Bloomington, the same place where LSU took down Appalachian State in an NCAA first-round game in 1979 before falling to Magic Johnson and Michigan State in Indianapolis, the Tigers’ next stop.
One down for LSU men's basketball on the road to the Final Four, but the competition steps up quickly.
Hyatt may have been a three-star prospect, but this Hyatt would have earned four stars from Michelin on this day. His stat line:
• 13 points on five made field goals (both career highs)
• 10 rebounds (career high)
• 4 blocks (career high)
• 1 steal (tied season high)
• 2 assists (tied career high)
• 0 turnovers
“Aundre Hyatt played great,” Thomas said. “Dre was on the glass — offensive glass, defensive glass in the first half. He hit the big shots when we needed him to. He hit one 3 at the top of the key when the big was in the paint and he had a lot of offensive putbacks.
“We’re going to need Dre to make a deep run in the tournament. I think this was a great start for him.”
When LSU’s offense was struggling to get started early in the game against St. Bonaventure, Hyatt was doing his part. He even pulled down the offensive rebound that led to Trendon Watford’s slam dunk that was the Tigers’ only basket in the game’s first eight minutes.
In that time though, Hyatt had four rebounds and a block. And he dished the assist to Smart for his 3-pointer that gave LSU a 7-6 lead at the 10:45 mark. A lead, as it turned out, the Tigers would never relinquish.
Despite their own offensive struggles — the Bonnies were only 7 of 30 from the field in the first 20 minutes and 0 of 10 from 3-point range — St. Bonaventure was still in touch with LSU down just 31-22 at halftime. But the Tigers quickly put daylight between themselves and the underdog Bonnies — and Hyatt had a big hand in that separation.
After a quick 3-pointer from Darius Days (he had 13 points and 11 rebounds, moving LSU’s record to 19-1 when he scores 11 or more), Hyatt stole the ball from St. Bonaventure center Osun Osunniyi that led to a fastbreak layup and free throw by Thomas. Just when it looked like the Bonnies were going to recover from LSU’s early second-half flurry, Dominick Welch hitting a 3-pointer to cut LSU’s lead to 40-27, Hyatt responded with his own 3 to equal the Tigers’ biggest lead at 43-27.
“Aundre Hyatt was phenomenal,” said LSU coach Will Wade after coaching the Tigers in person in an NCAA tournament game for the first time.
“What you saw today is what we see every day in practice. He shoots it real well. We trust him. He’s steady. You know where he’s going to be. He went away mid-year, but he earned that starting spot. We don’t hand out starting spots like Halloween candy.”
Hyatt started LSU’s first three games, then had a spate of five games midseason when he didn’t play. But he returned to the starting lineup Feb. 10 in a 94-80 win at Mississippi State (7 points, 3 rebounds) when Mwani Wilkinson was benched with the flu and has stayed in that place.
And defense, better of late overall for the Tigers, has always been better when it comes to what Hyatt.
LSU coach Will Wade talks about the Tigers' 76-61 victory over St. Bonaventure in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
“That’s why you stick with guys,” Wade said.
It’s the ability to count on the little things .That’s what LSU got Saturday from Hyatt. A lot of little things that added up to one big performance at the biggest time.
The Link LonkMarch 21, 2021 at 04:22AM
https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/sports/lsu/article_4fb54392-89c2-11eb-8af8-77572971e4f3.html
Rabalais: Aundre Hyatt does all the little things to help LSU advance in NCAA tournament - The Advocate
https://news.google.com/search?q=little&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en
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