LSU Holds Off Late-Charging Alex Copeland, Yale to Advance in NCAA Tournament

The LSU Tigers scored a 79-74 victory over the Yale Bulldogs in the first round of the 2019 NCAA tournament Thursday at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida.

LSU, the No. 3 seed in the East Region, was led by Skylar Mays with 19 points. The Tigers continue their March Madness journey without head coach Will Wade, who was suspended indefinitely as part of an alleged pay-to-play scandal. Tony Benford is leading the staff on an interim basis.

Yale defeated the rival Harvard Crimson to claim the Ivy League's automatic bid in the Big Dance, but there will be no Cinderella run as its tourney stay comes to an end after one game. Alex Copeland posted a game-high 24 points to pace the Bulldogs.

LSU Remains Final Four Threat Despite Distractions

A lot was made following the Tigers' upset loss to the Florida Gators in the SEC tournament quarterfinals about whether the team could still make a March Madness run given the drama swirling around the program since Wade was suspended.

They looked like a Final Four contender for a vast majority of their win over Yale, though some late defensive lapses led to a close final score.

LSU Tigers vs. Yale Bulldogs: Game Highlights

LSU, which built a 16-point halftime lead and held off a Bulldogs rally in the second half, shot 54.5 percent on two-point attempts, won the rebounding battle 45-39 and held a dangerous Yale offense to 37.5 percent shooting. It also made a series of clutch free throws in the game's final minutes.

The Tigers' rotation goes eight deep and creates a roster that can win games at either end of the floor. On Thursday, it was the offense that built the lead, but the defense came up with some clutch stops to prevent Yale from completing a comeback.

Kavell Bigby-Williams was the unsung hero with 10 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks, but it's a title that gets traded around the roster frequently. No single player is leaned on to carry the load.

That's crucial in March. It's rare for any single player to dominate for six straight games—the Duke Blue Devils' Zion Williamson could prove a rare exception, though he'll have plenty of help—so depth is essential to a deep run.

The Tigers illustrated they have plenty of that Thursday, and it keeps them in the Final Four conversation despite landing in the same region as Williamson and the Blue Devils.

Miye Oni Should Return For Senior Season at Yale

Oni will soon have to decide whether to stick with the Bulldogs for another year or forgo his senior campaign in order to enter the 2019 NBA draft.

Although no single game should be the deciding factor, his lackluster performance in the NCAA tournament's opening round could help sway his decision if he was on the fence. He made just two of his 16 shots en route to five points against LSU.

Miye Oni Tries to Break the Rim

Oni entered the game as the Bulldogs' leading scorer at 17.6 points per game. He also averaged 6.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.3 blocks to emerge as a serious NBA draft prospect.

Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman ranked him as the No. 73 overall player in the projected 2019 class on his latest big board.

"An Ivy League standout for his 6'6", 210-pound size and scoring ability, Oni took a step forward for the second consecutive season—averaging 17.6 points and shooting 39 percent from range," Wasserman wrote. "His athleticism is in question, though, as he gets little elevation and shoots just 50.7 percent at the rim."

Playing another season at Yale would help him improve that draft position.

Oni should take on a larger ball-handling role for the Bulldogs next year with Copeland set to graduate. That should help him develop his distribution skills and give him more chances to alleviate concerns about his athleticism.

Furthermore, being selected in the second round of the NBA draft doesn't come with many guarantees and, depending on the landing spot, could feature numerous hurdles to playing time.

Oni would be the focal point of everything the Bulldogs do next season. That's a far better environment to learn and develop—which is something the talented guard needs—than sitting on the end of an NBA bench or being a role player in the G League.

He's got a bright NBA future, but another year of college basketball is his best option right now.

What's Next?

LSU advances to face either the Maryland Terrapins or Belmont Bruins in the second round Saturday.