The 15-4 (3-1) LSU Tigers travel to Knoxville tonight to take on the 12-6 (3-1) Tennessee Volunteers. The Vols seek to recapture some of that Thompson-Boling magic against the well-rounded and tough Tigers.

Observations from the stats

Something's got to give, Groundhog Day edition. For the third game in a row, the Vols's highly-ranked scoring offense (81.2 PPG) runs into a brick wall scoring defense. The Tigers ranked 55th in the nation and are holding their opponents to 62.1 PPG. To make matters worse, LSU has the offense (59th in scoring) to go along with a great defense, thus putting them at 22nd in the nation in scoring margin.

Unlike Memphis, these guys can score from the perimeter. The Tigers hit 46.1% from the field and 38.6% from three-point range. Our defense has improved over the past several games, but honk if you don't think we're in for another long night against another guard.

And that, and that, and that, too? But wait, there's more! LSU also has better numbers in rebounds of all things. And assist-to-turnover ratio. And blocks, steals, turnovers, and turnover margin. Deep breath, y'all. This could very well be our fourth loss at home in five games.

LSU players to watch

Um, all of them? Four of five starters anyway. Marcus Thornton, Tasmin Mitchell, Chris Johnson, and Garrett Temple are all nationally ranked in some important category. With that many guys serving as key contributors, it's better to just bust out a chart:

Other Stuff

KenPom's prediction: Tennessee wins, 79-73, and has a 72% chance of winning. Hmm. Okay, well that's more like it.

Bullets!

• Absent from that player chart above for LSU is Bo Spencer, who LSU lists as a "scoring guard." Well, who isn't?
• The Tigers went almost eight minutes in the second half without scoring in a loss to Xavier on Saturday.
• This is Trent Johnson's first year as the Tigers' head coach. He is not John Brady.
• Marcus Thornton was last week's SEC Player of the Week. Against Mississipi State and Xavier, Thornton averaged 30.5 points on 55.5 percent shooting from the field
  and 53.3 percent shooting from three-point range. Somebody guard this guy. Make that somebodies.
  
  

And on to the stats:

KEY STATS COMPARISON
Category	Rank	Actual	Rank	Actual
Scoring Offense	11	81.2	59	75.7
Scoring Defense	300	74.3	55	62.1
Scoring Margin	81	6.9	22	13.6
Field-Goal Percentage	102	45.3	66	46.1
Field-Goal Percentage Defense	182	43.3	45	39.7
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game	172	6.2	198	5.9
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage	263	30.0	31	38.6
Three Pt FG Defense	257	0.358	87	0.323
Free-Throw Percentage	143	69.3	86	71.4
Rebound Margin	30	6.4	16	7.5
Assists Per Game	18	16.4	38	15.8
Assist Turnover Ratio	56	1.13	15	1.31
Blocked Shots Per Game	99	3.9	14	5.9
Steals Per Game	176	6.7	45	8.4
Turnovers Per Game	197	14.5	23	12.1
Turnover Margin	140	0.6	64	2.3
Personal Fouls Per Game	282	20.4	97	17.4

Well that doesn't look encouraging at all.

PLAYERS TO WATCH
Category	Player	Rank	Actual	Player	Rank	Actual
Points PG	Tyler Smith	81	17.7	Marcus Thornton	45	18.9
FG%				Tasmin Mitchell	40	54.9
3-Point FG PG
3-Point FG%
FT %
Rebounds PG	Wayne Chism	52	8.7
Assists PG
Blocks PG				Chris Johnson	36	2.3
Steals PG				Garrett Temple	31	2.3
Assist-TO Ratio	Bobby Maze	81	1.97	Garrett Temple	52	2.14