BATON ROUGE – LSU basketball coach Will Wade will bring two of his most experienced newcomers to Birmingham on Tuesday, October 13, when the Tigers participate in SEC Tipoff '27, the conference's annual basketball media event.
Senior guards Abdi Bashir Jr. and Mo Dioubate will accompany Wade as LSU takes part in the opening day of the two-day event at the Hotel Wildemont.
The Tigers are scheduled for their podium appearance at 10:50 a.m. CT. Coverage will be available on SEC Network and SEC Network+.
Both players arrive in Baton Rouge with extensive college basketball experience and are expected to play important roles for Wade's revamped LSU squad.
Bashir Brings Proven Perimeter Scoring
Bashir, a 6-foot-7 guard from Omaha, Nebraska, joins LSU after spending last season at Kansas State following two years at Monmouth.
One of the more accomplished outside shooters on LSU's roster, Bashir averaged 13.2 points per game for Kansas State while connecting on 44.4 percent of his three-point attempts, making 66 of 151 shots from beyond the arc.
His most productive scoring season came as a sophomore at Monmouth, where he averaged 20.1 points and 2.2 assists while knocking down 127 three-pointers.
Through his first three collegiate seasons, Bashir has made 245 shots from three-point range, giving LSU a proven perimeter scoring threat.
Dioubate Adds SEC Experience and Physicality
Dioubate arrives at LSU with three seasons of SEC experience after spending two years at Alabama and last season at Kentucky.
The Queens, New York native played in 31 games for the Wildcats last season, averaging 8.8 points and 5.5 rebounds.
During his sophomore season at Alabama, Dioubate averaged 7.2 points and 5.9 rebounds.
Through 101 career appearances, he has recorded eight double-doubles and scored in double figures 23 times.
His familiarity with SEC competition and ability to contribute on the glass should provide Wade with an experienced option in the Tigers' frontcourt.
Tigers Begin Exhibition Schedule Thursday
Before traveling to Birmingham, Wade and his team will get their first opportunity to face outside competition Thursday night when LSU takes on McNeese in a 6:30 p.m. exhibition game in Lake Charles.
The Tigers will then return to Baton Rouge for a free-admission exhibition against UCF on Wednesday, October 14, at 7 p.m. inside the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
The UCF contest will also be available on SEC Network+.
