As it stands for LSU, the Tigers will finish either 2nd, 3rd or 4th in the SEC West. Here's how it can happen... 2nd in West: LSU wins out and Auburn loses to Arkansas and at Miss State. (LSU's win over Miss State would be tiebreaker) 3rd in West: LSU wins out, but Auburn wins one game. 4th in West: LSU loses to either Ole Miss or Alabama. There are other scenarios, but those are the most straightforward. NOW, here's what it means for the all-important SEC Tournament... If the Tigers finish 2nd in the West, they will get a first-round bye and face the winner of Georgia and Ole Miss in the quarterfinals. If the Tigers finish 3rd in the West, they will play Vanderbilt in the first round for the right to face Florida in the quarterfinals. If the Tigers finish 4th in the West, they will play South Carolina in the first round for the right to face Kentucky in the quarterfinals. It's EXTREMELY important for LSU to move up in the SEC West standings over the next two games. Sure the Tigers would beat South Carolina again, but a loss to Kentucky combined with a loss to Alabama would seal their fate. Simply put, the last two games are MUST-WINS. LSU would be in great shape if they finish 2nd or 3rd in the division. First off, that means a win over Alabama (one less team to compete with on the NCAA bubble) and surpassing the Tide in the RPI ratings. Second, it will give LSU a chance for a big win over Florida or Georgia. The downside to the tournament is that LSU is currently competing with Alabama, Auburn and Tennessee for the last SEC slot in the NCAA. LSU wouldn't be able to face any of these teams until the semifinals of the tournament. However, LSU should surpass those three teams after beating them all decisively in the final weeks of the season (assuming LSU beats Bama on Saturday). GEAUX TIGERS!
