LSU Tigers Begin 2025-26 Basketball Season Against Tarleton State

BATON ROUGE, La. – The LSU Tigers will kick off their 2025-26 men’s basketball season on Wednesday night against the Tarleton State Texans at 7 p.m. in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.

Tickets for the game can be purchased online at LSUTix.net or at the upper concourse ticket windows at the Maravich Center starting at 6 p.m. on game day. LSU students can attend for free with a valid student ID.

This game marks the first of the Beat The Buzzer nights for home games on Wednesdays, offering 50 percent off select food, drinks, and beer from the opening gate until 10 minutes before tipoff. Fans can tune into the game on the LSU Sports Radio Network, with Chris Blair and former head coach John Brady providing commentary.

“We want to invite everyone out starting on Wednesday,” said Coach Matt McMahon. “We have five home games in 17 days to start the season. We want to create a great atmosphere here in the PMAC. You’re going to love our team; they take great pride in representing LSU.”

The Tigers recently secured a victory over UCF in an exhibition game, winning 75-68. LSU showcased strong performance during the second half, scoring 46 points and limiting turnovers to just five. Point guard Dedan Thomas Jr. was a standout, scoring 16 points and providing nine assists.

Thomas, who transferred from UNLV, along with Mike Nwoko and Marquel Sutton, who added 15 and a double-double respectively, showed promising skill. Jalen Reed returned to the court for his first game since recovering from an ACL injury, contributing six points and four rebounds.

Coach McMahon expressed enthusiasm for the upcoming season, noting the importance of preseason road games for preparation. He commented on the need for improvement after the exhibition, particularly regarding turnovers.

In a recent game, Tarleton State lost 96-76 to SMU, struggling offensively in the second half. Dior Johnson led the Texans with 23 points, while Tarleton’s coach, Billy Gillispie, now in his sixth season at the helm, aims to guide his team to better results this year.

After the matchup with Tarleton State, LSU will host UNO on Monday in the Maravich Center.