LSU basketball absolutely WENT OFF in their season opener against LSU New Orleans, dropping a massive 100-57 win thanks to the immediate impact of their international talent. After what felt like endless court rulings and injunctions, the Tigers finally got eligibility for all four of their international commits just in time for tip-off on November 3. Coach Will Wade and his staff wasted zero time unleashing these guys, and it was clear from minute one just how much of an asset they are.
The Global Takeover Is Real, And It Started Strong
This roster construction before the 2026-27 season was a serious grind, all focused on getting these international players cleared. But it paid off big time against the Privateers. Three of the four international studs saw action, with French center Brice Dessert and Senegalese-Italian forward Saliou Niang both getting the starting nod. Then, Croatian center Michael Ruzic came off the bench, rounding out what looks like a three-headed big man monster for Wade. “I thought Saliou was tremendous,” Wade said, praising Niang’s all-around game. “Just on the point of the press, six steals, 14 rebounds, five offensive rebounds. He just does so many things that help you win. He’s an incredible passer. I mean he makes the whole press work, you can’t get the ball in bounds against him.” That’s high praise, and after watching him play, it’s totally deserved.
These Seven-Footers Are Making the Paint Their Home
All four of LSU’s international players are bringing serious size, standing at seven-foot or taller, and they used every single inch of it. We saw dunk after dunk and flashy alley-oop finishes all night. Ruzic, who came off the bench for 25 minutes, was absolutely dominant leading the pick and roll finishing. He racked up 17 points and six rebounds, living in the paint for LSU. Ruzic was a go-to target for guard Donovan Dent, who led the team in scoring and assists, dishing out 10 dimes. Ruzic couldn’t be happier with that connection. “Donnie [Donovan Dent], he’s very, very, very unselfish and I love playing with him,” Ruzic said. “Everytime he sees me open, he’s always throwing me the ball, so I’m definitely happy to share the floor with him every second.”
Niang, a former 2025 NBA second round pick, showed off serious two-way abilities. His defense was relentless, catching the Privateers slipping every chance he got. “I feel very good and I’m happy about the way we started,” Niang stated. “We wanted a good, strong start and that’s what we did. I know that I can help my team a lot on defense and that’s what I did. I tried to put pressure on the ball, run for rebounds and yeah that’s it.” He led the Tigers with a team-high six steals, all of them coming in the first half! Those steals led directly to offense, helping him finish with 14 points along with a team-high 14 rebounds. Dessert, in his first collegiate start, made an immediate impact too, scoring the Tigers’ first points of the game on a two-handed slam dunk. In his 19 minutes, he finished with 13 points, seven rebounds, and two blocks. Wade acknowledged that Dessert is still adjusting, saying, “Brice is going to be really good for us, its just going to take Brice a little bit of time. The pace is different than it is in Europe so its going to take him a little bit of time. He was better today than he was against Florida State, and he’ll be better Friday than he was today.”
Wade even gave a shoutout to Brice, saying he is “going to be really good” even though the European pace is different. He’s already getting better, and we’ll see more progress on Friday. Get ready, college basketball, because this is just the beginning!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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