LAKE CHARLES, La. — LSU had multiple players not on the court during its exhibition game at McNeese State on Thursday.
As Will Wade warned in his talk at the Rotary Club of Baton Rouge on Wednesday, he wouldn’t take a chance using players who aren’t fully cleared to play. Only seven players received playing time in the first half of the contest, including a pair of unranked high school players.
“We’re not going to do anything that sacrifices what we’re trying to do long term,” he said. “The thing (Thursday) is to raise money for McNeese. If we win, that’s great. We lose, not great, but life’s going to move on. It doesn’t go on our record.”
The college transfers who played were senior guard Abdi Bashir (Kansas State), junior guard Divine Ugochukwu (Michigan State), senior forward Mo Dioubate (Kentucky) and fifth-year senior Donovan Dent (UCLA).
The college transfers Wade didn’t play were fifth-year senior guard Austin Nunez (UTSA), fifth-year senior guard Skyy Clark (UCLA) and redshirt sophomore Luke Stansbury (Stephen F. Austin). Nunez is eligible after redshirting due to an injury as a junior and is listed on the team’s four-player official roster. However, he appeared to be injured, wearing a boot.
The high school commits who played for the Tigers were forward Jordan Bender and center Strake Pearson. The only high school recruit who didn’t see time was guard Bradley Fife. All three aren’t listed on major recruiting sites.
Wade, who previously coached at McNeese (2023-25), had 14 players travel and warm at Townsley Law Arena.
Former St. John’s star RJ Luis, who signed an NBA contract, wasn’t in the arena as his eligibility status remains unclear.
The international players who also sat out were 22‑year‑old Italian‑Senegalese wing Saliou Niang, 23‑year‑old French center Brice Dessert and 24‑year‑old Israeli center Gilad Levy. They all warmed up but didn’t play.
While Luis has a preliminary injunction, the Southeastern Conference implemented rules that prevent member schools from adding players such as Luis who’ve signed an NBA or G League deal.
The former Big East Player of the Year went undrafted in the 2025 NBA Draft, signed a two‑way NBA contract and played in preseason games. While Wade hasn’t directly addressed Luis, he said on multiple occasions he plans to follow NCAA and SEC rules.
McNeese is the first of three exhibition games LSU will play ahead of its Nov. 3 season opener against LSU-New Orleans. The Tigers will play Central Florida at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center and then Florida State at noon Oct. 24 at the Donald L. Tucker Center in Tallahassee, Florida.
