JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- LSU coach Will Wade has had no contact with his players beyond a few text messages since he was suspended indefinitely earlier this month.
But his absence looms large over the program as the Tigers prepare to face the Yale Bulldogs in the first round of the NCAA tournament on Thursday.
During the Tigers' media session on Wednesday, interim coach Tony Benford and his players fielded one question after another about how they will try to focus and ignore the distractions.
The school suspended Wade after reports that FBI wiretaps intercepted telephone calls between him and aspiring business manager Christian Dawkins, in which Wade expressed frustration about his inability to close what he described as a "strong-ass offer" for a recruit.
That recruit, Javonte Smart, ended up signing with LSU and was held out of the regular-season finale against Vanderbilt while the school investigated. Smart cooperated fully, and he was cleared to return for the SEC tournament last week.
Smart, who says he has no knowledge about the offer Wade was referring to on the wiretap, will play Thursday.
"It's tough; it's hard," Smart said Wednesday. "I'm only 19 years old, been through a lot all my life, and the last two weeks have been rough. But I'm always in the gym every day no matter what."
