What's left for LSU baseball to do to lock up NCAA Tournament bid at SEC Tournament?

Back in 2018, Kentucky's baseball team finished 10th in the SEC standings with a 13-17 conference record and 34 overall wins. It's RPI was 30 that season heading into the SEC Baseball Tournament, where it went 0-1.

Subsequently, the Wildcats were left on the bubble of the NCAA Tournament on Selection on Monday.

Does any of that sound familiar regarding LSU baseball this year?

The Tigers have a 36-20 overall record, a 13-17 SEC mark and enters this week's SEC Tournament with an RPI of 30 a week out of the NCAA Tournament field being revealed. No. 11-seeded LSU faces off against No. 6 Georgia (39-14) in the first round of the SEC Tournament at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday.

Comparing 2024 LSU to 2018 Kentucky, LSU has two more wins than what Kentucky had an eerily similar situation six years ago. But there a few differences.

REQUIRED READING Who will LSU baseball play in SEC Baseball Tournament? Seed, time TV info

LSU has closed this season out far stronger than that Wildcat team did. The Tigers have won four of its last five SEC series, including sweeping Ole miss to wrap up the regular season this past weekend for three quality wins while UK in 2018 dropped five of its last six games before the NCAA Selection Committee revealed the bracket. LSU also has more notable star power on its team, headlined by Tommy White.

Heading into the SEC Tournament in Hoover this week, there are five SEC clubs that have a 13-17 league record and have RPIs of 30 or betters, which going by past precedent those numbers have been indicators of SEC teams earning at-large NCAA Tournament bids.

Is there any work left for the Tigers to do to ensure they get into an NCAA regional? Let's give it one final breakdown before the conference tourney starts.

LSU baseball's path to securing an NCAA Tournament at-large bid

While some history suggests LSU is already in the field of 64, prior to what happens in Hoover this week, other past tournament fields detail that it's not cut-and-dry for the Tigers just yet.

No conference has gotten more than 10 teams into the NCAA Tournament. And, right now, LSU is the No. 11 seed.

Alabama, Vanderbilt, Florida and South Carolina are the other teams that finished 13-17 in league play this season. Each of those are facing off with one another on day one of the SEC Tournament on Tuesday. LSU has a distinct advantage of playing a team not among that group and the Bulldogs provide an opportunity that honestly can only benefit the Tigers, as even a loss to Georgia would not hurt their RPI.

And a win over Georgia will 100% lock LSU into the field. So it's simple for the Tigers: Beat Georgia and you're in with no questions asked.

Where is LSU baseball in D1 Baseball NCAA Tournament projections?

Now that we've looked on-field scenarios, here's what the projections say about where LSU stands as conference tournament week arrives.

LSU EARNS SWEEP OVER OLE MISS How sweep it is: LSU baseball finishes off Ole Miss for big SEC series victory

LSU BASEBALL 2025 SCHEDULING NEWS LSU baseball to play in annual college baseball series in Arlington, Texas next season

For the first time in several weeks, the Tigers, after getting the sweep versus Ole Miss, are projected to make the NCAA Tournament in D1 Baseball's latest projections released Monday.

D1 Baseball has LSU getting in as a No. 3 seed in the Stillwater Regional, hosted by Oklahoma State, the No. 16 overall national seed. The No. 2 seed would be Dallas Baptist and No. 4 would be Lamar.

Cory Diaz covers the LSU Tigers for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his Tigers coverage on Twitter: @ByCoryDiaz. Got questions regarding LSU athletics? Send them to Cory Diaz at bdiaz@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Is LSU baseball in NCAA Tournament or is there more work left?