Preview: South Carolina at LSU in SEC Men’s Basketball

BATON ROUGE, La. (Interstat) — A surging LSU team aims to rebound from its first loss in over a month when it hosts a South Carolina squad looking to steady itself in Southeastern Conference play on Tuesday night at the Maravich Assembly Center.

The Tigers (12-2) had won seven straight before a narrow 75-72 road loss at Texas A&M on Saturday. LSU, which boasts a potent offense averaging 87.6 points per game, will rely on guard Max Mackinnon. He is coming off a 20-point, five-assist performance in the defeat and has scored in double figures in nine consecutive games.

South Carolina (9-5) enters having dropped its SEC opener, an 83-71 home loss to Vanderbilt. The Gamecocks will need a strong performance from forward Myles Stute, who leads the team with 14 points and six rebounds in the Vanderbilt game. Stute has been a consistent scorer, reaching double digits in three of his last five outings.

The matchup pits contrasting trajectories. LSU’s two losses came against then-Texas Tech and Texas A&M, both on the road. The Tigers have been dominant at home, winning all eight contests in Baton Rouge by an average margin of 28.5 points.

South Carolina has shown resilience but inconsistency, with its five losses coming by an average of just 7.2 points. Following the Vanderbilt loss, coach Lamont Paris emphasized the need for better defensive intensity to challenge high-scoring opponents.

LSU holds a significant historical edge, winning 12 of the last 15 meetings. However, the teams split last season’s series, with each winning on its home court.

Tuesday’s contest opens a critical early conference stretch for both teams. LSU faces a quick turnaround with a visit to Vanderbilt on Saturday, while South Carolina hosts Georgia in its next outing.

Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST.