Late push into NCAA contention possible for Johnson’s surging Tigers

LSU coach Trent Johnson is notoriously tight-lipped and guarded with the media, so it was hardly surprising to hear him downplay the Tigers’ recent surge during a teleconference with reporters earlier this week. “We need to concentrate on the next game and the next possession,” Johnson says, as quoted by Yahoo! Sports. “I don’t pay much attention to the standings, and I know … the kids don’t either because we know how fragile we can be if we’re not right.” Johnson’s one-game-at-a-time mantra works for his players, but forgive LSU fans if they dare to think a little bigger. The Tigers—seemingly on their way to a third straight humdrum, sub .500 league finish as recently as three weeks ago—suddenly have won four straight and five out of six, sparking some chatter that an NCAA tournament berth isn’t totally out of the question. But for LSU to go from the fringes of at-large contention today to the field of 68 in two weeks, the Tigers will have to continue their recent surge. They have bad losses to Coastal Carolina and South Alabama out of conference, but they’ve also beaten Marquette, Mississippi State and shorthanded Alabama this season. What’s more, they could finish alone in fourth place in the SEC and earn a first-round conference tournament bye if they defeat Ole Miss, Tennessee and Auburn to complete the regular season at 20-10 overall and 10-6 in the league. Read the full story here.