BATON ROUGE, La. -- LSU forward Ronald Dupree will stay in school for his senior season.

"In order to put any rumors or speculation to rest, I have committed to return to LSU for my senior year," Dupree said in a statement issued Monday. "My goals are to complete my degree requirements in engineering, do my best to help our team challenge for the SEC championship and then participate in the NCAA Tournament. I am looking forward to working as hard as I can to have a successful season, while obtaining my degree, which has always been important to me."

Dupree said he reached the conclusion after talking to coach John Brady and his mother.

"He has an opportunity to be one of the best or possibly the best player in the Southeastern Conference next year," Brady said.

Dupree earned second-team All-SEC honors for the second consecutive season, averaging 16.2 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.

Dupree had the seventh-best scoring average in the SEC and for the second year was second in the league in rebounding. The Tigers won seven of the last 11 games to post a 19-15 record, which included two wins in the SEC Tournament and a win over Iowa at Iowa City in the National Invitation Tournament.