Ben Simmons: Aussie phenom carrying LSU to March Madness

Aussie basketball phenom Ben Simmons continues to shine in the US basketball scene, which would hopefully be enough to carry the Louisiana State University Tigers into the March Madness.

The Tigers face a tough challenge in their next game against the Oklahoma Sooners, who lead the Big 12 with a 17-12 record. However, Simmons’ team will have more “winnable games” in their schedule after Monday, giving LSU a realistic chance of making it to the NCAA men’s division 1 basketball championships, according to Kyle Ringo of Yahoo Sports.

“There have been times this season when it has been fair to wonder whether Simmons will get to experience March Madness,” Ringo wrote. “[But] lately, this team seems to be finding ways to win close games, even games that are closer than they needed to be like Tuesday [against the Bulldogs].”

Simmons, considered as consensus No. 1 in this year’s NBA rookie draft, poured in another dominating performance to wheel the Tigers for their second straight win. The Aussie youngster scored 22 points and posted 14 boards, helping LSU hold off the Georgia Bulldogs for a 89-85 victory and improving their record to 13-7 overall and 6-2 in the Southeastern Conference. However, it was an ugly win for the Tigers, who blew a double-digit lead with less than a minute to play.

“After getting a 12-point lead, we played with too much comfort," LSU coach Johnny Jones said, reports the Charlotte Observer. "We were too loose with the basketball. Through it all, our guys did a great job of battling and playing well against a very scrappy, tough team."

The Tigers won all of their past three victories on a tight match, which include two-point wins over Arkansas and Alabama. Against the Sooners, the Tigers may have a hard time notching a third-straight win, but the match would certainly be a treat for fans, with Simmons going against Player of the Year frontrunner Buddy Hield.