Returning to practice following a day off Sunday, the Griz appeared a bit feisty on the FedExForum practice court. A 1-4 record that includes at least two losses that could easily have been wins seemingly has this young bunch determined to fine tune a few aspects of their game.

“The most important thing is that we had the spirit and enthusiasm,” head coach Marc Iavaroni said. “The technique comes out of that.”

For starters, Pau Gasol’s struggles have been well-documented over the past two games. HE’S GONE SCORELESS IN THE SECOND HALF OF TWO STRAIGHT GAMES! That’s a major concern given the Griz likely won’t win many games if that trend continues. Sure, Gasol could be more aggressive given he has exactly zero free throw attempts during that drought.

He’s also averaged just one shot attempt in about 19 total minutes for games at Portland and Utah. The Grizzlies’ loss to the Jazz last Saturday makes this a little deceptive because Gasol played just 7:32 in the second half of a blowout.

But that didn’t stop Gasol and Iavaroni from talking about how they can free the 7-foot Spaniard. Iavaroni acknowledged that Gasol needs to average more than 10.6 field goal attempts. Rudy Gay averages 15.6.

“We need to go through him more often,” Iavaroni said, referring to Gasol. “I find that we get bogged down when he gets double and triple-teamed. But I need to stay with Pau, maybe put in a couple of plays where he’s got the ball on the move. We’ll figure that out.”

When Portland came out and crowded Gasol in the second half, two things happened. Gasol passed to misfiring teammates or the bench called plays that didn’t have Gasol as the primary option.

Perhaps Gasol will receive the ball more along the baseline and elbow, where he can spot-up or use a dribble to initiate his offense.

“I’ve always been very effective and efficient starting on the move,” Gasol said. “That’s the way I would like to play, and it’s one of the things we’ve talked about.”

Gasol squelched any notion that his play has been affected by a stiff back and sprained ankle.

“Maybe I’m not playing at 100 percent but I’ve never been a guy to make excuses and I’m not going to start now,” Gasol said.

FAST FACT: Rookie point guard Mike Conley is averaging 4.7 assists and just one turnover. Lost in the bravado that Utah’s Deron Williams threw Conley’s way following the game was Conley’s nine-assist, two-turnover night.

“He’s a quiet performer,” Iavaroni said. “He’s not a highlight type of guy. He’s just efficient.”

Conley is just proving that he can be a standout at point guard, and that the Griz were right to pick him.

Here’s how I voted in this week’s AP top 25. I dropped Kentucky and USC off my ballot because of their losses to Gardner-Webb and Mercer, respectively. I added N.C. State and Mississippi State but also strongly considered Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Connecticut and Wisconsin. I did not penalize Michigan State for losing an exhibition game because it is, in fact, and exhibition.

1. Memphis
2. North Carolina
3. UCLA
4. Kansas
5. Georgetown
6. Michigan State
7. Tennessee
8. Louisville
9. Gonzaga
10. Duke
11. Washington State
12. Marquette
13. Oregon
14. Indiana
15. Texas
16. Arizona
17. Villanova
18. Kansas State
19. Arkansas
20. Southern Illinois
21. North Carolina State
22. Texas A&M
23. Vanderbilt
24. Clemson
25. Mississippi State

THE BIG STORY

The LSU Tigers regained college football’s No. 1 ranking Sunday in the national polls and the Bowl Championship Series. A BCS analyst said the Tigers could strengthen their hold on that position with a solid road victory Saturday against the Ole Miss Rebels.

“If LSU handles Ole Miss relatively easily,” Brad Edwards of ESPN said, “then I don’t anticipate there being much of a chance for anybody to gain ground on them if they win their remaining two games.”

A 28-21 victory Saturday by Illinois at Ohio State knocked Ohio State from the No. 1 spot. LSU was No. 2 before its 58-10 victory Saturday against Louisiana Tech.

The Tigers (9-1) are followed in the BCS standings by Oregon (8-1), Kansas (10-0), Oklahoma (9-1) and Missouri (9-1). LSU plays at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Ole Miss (3-7). The Rebels are winless in their six Southeastern Conference games this season.

Noting that a team needs only to be in the top two of the BCS on Dec. 2 to play in the national championship game Jan. 7 in New Orleans, Edwards said LSU probably has to concern itself only with staying ahead of Oregon from a standings point of view.

Edwards said the only thing LSU must fear, other than another loss, would be to have a down-to-the-wire game against a lightly regarded Ole Miss team Saturday.

“I think the only thing that could help Oregon,” Edwards said, “is if LSU comes out this week and just slops around with Ole Miss.”

Oregon plays Thursday night on ESPN against Arizona (4-6) in the last “national stage” game on Oregon’s schedule.

Edwards said a big Oregon win in that game, plus an LSU struggle two days later at Ole Miss, would be the last real hope for Oregon to overtake the Tigers.

LSU coach Les Miles said he preferred to talk about the upcoming game against Ole Miss than to discuss his team’s chances of playing for the national championship.

“I understand the thought process there,” Miles said. “I just want us to continue to get better each week, take each game one at a time and see how far that will take us. All we are focusing on right now is getting in a good week of preparation for the Ole Miss game.

“It’s now down to a three-game season. We’ll have to see where we are when it comes time to play the fourth game, but until then, it’s all about focusing and getting ready for Ole Miss this week.”

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