The LSU Tigers have decided not to play in a postseason tournament. They were likely going to receive a bid to the NIT absent this decision. Head coach Johnny Jones:
"We will be able to utilize this time to get better and start preparations for next season. We fell short of the mark of getting to the NCAA Tournament; I take full responsibility for this team, and will do the things necessary to make sure we are able to reach one of our main goals at LSU in the future."
The press release cites player health as an additional consideration. Keith Hornsby went out for the year after having had surgery last week, while Antonio Blakeney is affected by an undisclosed illness ("under the weather" is the phrasing used) and would have been "questionable at best" for postseason games.
LSU has had a disappointing season, and its 38-point performance in the SEC Tournament against Texas A&M was a new low. I get wanting to turn the page on a season that ended in a way that no one anticipated or wanted.