INSIDE THE NUMBERS

2000-01 record: 19-15; 6-10 in SEC (Tied 4th/West) Postseason: Lost to Ball State 75-65 in second round of NIT. RETURNING LEADERS Points: Dupree 16.2 Rebs: Dupree 8.5 Assists: Bright 3.9 FG: Dupree 55.9% 3pt: Bright 39.4% FT: Temple III 81.7% 01-02 Stats: LSU | SEC KEY LOSSES Jer. Williams | 6.3 ppg PROJECTED STARTERS G | Antonio Hudson | Soph G | Torris Bright | Senior C | Sha. Johnson | Junior F | C. Temple III | Senior F | Ronald Dupree | Senior Player to Watch Ronald Dupree Senior Forward In a league full of unheralded skilled big men, he's still flying under the radar. DATE TO REMEMBER Dec. 21 Seven of LSU's first eight games are at home, and the last one is a shock-the-world opportunity. Arizona arrives to offer a spicy upgrade after a bland diet of States (Nicholls, Delaware and McNeese) and A&Ms (Texas A&M, Texas A&M Corpus Christi, Prairie View).

 

LSU TIGERS

John Brady was happy to report that his roster contains 18 players this year -- a full 13 on scholarship, plus five walkons. After going short-handed for years because of NCAA scholarship cuts and early departures, Brady was almost giddy -- and Brady is never giddy. "Skip Bertman (the LSU athletic director) got mad at me because I told him we had to get some more uniforms and practice gear," Brady said. "He said it's not in the budget. I told him, too bad." Combine last year's season-ending run with this year's talent infusion and Bertman should buy Brady whatever he wants. The Tigers not only have bodies, they have talent. Ronald Dupree has officially blown his cover as the SEC's No. 1 stealth player, having become the school's No. 22 all-time scorer and No. 19 rebounder. There's no hiding the senior forward any more. Fellow seniors Torris Bright at point guard, Collis Temple III at shooting guard and Brad Bridgewater at center provide the nucleus, but will surrender some minutes to the younger players. Sophomore shooting guard Antonio Hudson had his coming out in the SEC tourney, averaging 21 points in three games. Junior-college transfer Shawnson Johnson is a load at 6-9, 242. Memphis transfer Courtney Trask will offer quality backup minutes behind Bright. Fourteen of the 18 Tigers are from Louisiana. Brady has done a solid job returning the program to its in-state roots.

TOUGH ENOUGH..............................
LSU's low-post game should immediately improve with the arrival of Johnson, who averaged 21 points per game his last year in junior college. That should open additional opportunities from three-point range for a team that shoots it well from outside (36 percent last year). The defense should again be one of the best in the SEC as well.

TOUGH ENOUGH?..............................
Only once in LSU's final 17 games last year did the Tigers break 70. They tried to play deliberately much of that time to compensate for a short bench, but there are some nights when you wondered where all the firepower was going to come from. That should be improved this year, but LSU still must prove it has enough ways to put the ball in the basket. Not a great ball-handling club, since Bright is susceptible to making bad deicisions (129 assists, 122 turnovers last year).

BOTTOM LINE..............................
LSU has a chance to be the breakthrough team in the SEC this year. The group that made a surprise run to the SEC tournament semifinals and earned an NIT berth returns its top five scorers and welcomes a flotilla of newcomers to add depth and lineup flexibility. If the league is good enough to get six teams in the NCAAs -- and it has been the past four years -- the Tigers could get in.