NEW ORLEANS — The LSU Tigers were faced with their toughest challenge of the season Thursday night against the 11th ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys, and they answered that challenge with a huge, 63-53, upset win in the second game of the Sugar Bowl Classic.
LSU (12-0) was powered behind the breakout game of junior Lamont Roland and the dominance of the Tigers on the boards. Roland finished the game with a season-high 22 points shooting 8-11 from the field and 5-7 from behind the three-point line. The Tigers’ frontcourt, led by sophomore Stromile Swift and senior Jabari Smith, out rebounded the Cowboys 45-29. Swift and Smith each had 11 total rebounds and together pulled down more offensive boards than Oklahoma St. combined.
“I am proud of the effort our team and players gave tonight,” said Head Coach John Brady. “We beat a very well-coached team and I think that speaks volumes about our coaching staff and the commitment of our players. This truly is a good win for our program and I think it answers a lot of questions.”
OSU (10-1) began the game with an aggressive defense trying to force the young LSU backcourt to turn the ball over early. Freshman point guard Torris Bright handled the Cowboy pressure committing only one first-half turnover. Bright also added four assists including a pass to Swift whose power dunk ignited the New Orleans Arena crowd just 53 seconds into the game.
Oklahoma St. found themselves in early foul trouble picking up their seventh team foul with 14:54 left in the first half. The Tigers took advantage getting to the free-throw line 11 times shooting 63.6 percent in the first half of play. Oklahoma St. did not get to the free throw until 10:49 left in the game and shot only 1-2 as a team.
LSU led at halftime 29-22 behind Swift’s nine points and six rebounds. The Tigers shot only 30 percent from the floor and just 22 percent from three-point range in the first half. LSU turned it around in the second half shooting over 56 percent from the field and over 44 percent from behind the arc. The second half was highlighted by Roland who shot 6-7 from the floor and 4-4 from behind the three-point line. Roland started the second half scoring the Tiger’s first eight points extending the Tiger’s lead to 37-27.
“Lamont (Roland) played superb,” said Brady. “That’s why he was the National JUCO Player of the Year. He can put it together in spurts and you saw that tonight.”
It doesn’t get much easier for the Tigers. SEC play begins this Wednesday when Alabama comes to the PMAC at 7 p.m.