LSU Basketball Quits One Final Time in 2016

Once has to question Johnny Jones decision not to accept a post season tournament invitation. Althought this team did not reach preseason expectations after the signing of #1 recruit Ben Simmons and what was thought to be a top recruiting class. In fact the season was a disaster. The team was not well coached, selfish and undisciplined. At times they flat out quit. Lacking effort at times especially rebounding and on the defensive end where they played little or no defense and offering little or no resistance to the opposing team. This team of mostly underclassman never played with a sense of urgency or improved even when healthy as the season progressed and you wonder why they never reached 20 wins? Jones decision not to accept a postseason invite is mindboggling considering the majority of the team has never been to postseason play and this could have been used as a learning experience. The Ben Simmons experiment was a failure with Simmons leaving Baton Rouge with incredible potential but, Tigers fans only saw glimpes of greatness. His passive nonchalant style filled the stat sheet but never rarely gave the Tigers the advantage one would expect from the nation's top prospect. At times he seemed to be playing without great effort. His passing skills and basketball IQ are precocious. His lack of shooting skills & as well as his ball handling will need to be improved on the NBA level in addition to his willingness to play defense for him to reach his true potential. The cupboard is not bare for LSU next season if the young additions outside of Simmons stick around, But for LSU once again to be considered among basketball elite Jones will have to do more than recruit great talent he must also be able to develop that talent something he failed at miserably this season. Much like Les Miles, Johnny Jones gets a reprive this year because of the slashing of Lousiana's higher education budget and the preception of allowing LSU boosters to buyout coaches while the school is on the brink of discontinuing degree programs and laying off faculty and staff. No matter what happened in the lockeroom with this team. The program and the University should have accepted a berth play in the postseason not to do so is quitting just like we saw this team do over and over again this season. A few more days of practice and at least another game could have been used as a learning experience not as a punishment for an immature team that appeared to quit on it's coach, school and fans.  LSU's favorite son..Johnny Jones.. You are officially on the clock.