LSU @ Texas Tech 1:00P CST ESPNU

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/MicklesAdvocate/status/825009164799746048

After losing six consecutive Southeastern Conference games and starting 1-7 in league play, perhaps the LSU men's basketball team could use a change of scenery.

It couldn't hurt at this point, right?

Thanks to the SEC/Big 12 Challenge, the Tigers will get a break from conference play Saturday when they visit Lubbock, Texas, for a 1 p.m. contest with Texas Tech.

But a break from SEC play isn't necessarily a break when you're struggling like LSU (9-10) is heading into the matchup with Texas Tech (14-6).

The Red Raiders, who reached the NCAA tournament last spring, are 12-1 this season at United Supermarkets Arena under first-year coach Chris Beard. Their most impressive win on their home floor was a 77-76 overtime victory against then-No. 7 West Virginia on Jan. 3.

"Well, it's going to be another tough game for us," LSU coach Johnny Jones said Thursday, less than 24 hours after his team's 106-71 home loss to Florida. "Now it's a matter of just trying to get better ... regardless if it's conference play or if we're playing another conference caliber-type team."

While Texas Tech is 3-5 in the Big 12 with three losses in its past four games, two of its setbacks were to Kansas (ranked third at the time) and No. 5 Baylor on Wednesday (65-61). The loss at Baylor and the win over West Virginia were the ones that jumped out at Jones.

"Texas Tech is very good and very talented," he said. "We know what's in front of us, and we've got to try to get better quickly, because nobody out there is going to feel sorry for us. You've got to try to improve and get better."

A good start would be improvement on the defensive end of the floor, where the Tigers have allowed 90 points or more in five of their seven SEC losses.

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/TexasTechMBB/status/825450196649779200

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/MarkEnnis/status/825421110745366529