By Ryan Rogers
LSUsports.net
BATON ROUGE — Despite a valiant second-half effort, LSU was unable to overcome a 12-point halftime deficit and lost its first game of the season to the 15th-ranked Tennessee Volunteers, 64-59, before a sellout crowd here in the PMAC Saturday night.
Tennessees Tony Harris led the way for the Volunteers. He had a career night against the Tigers in which he scored 18 points. He added 7 rebounds and 5 assist to propell the Volunteers. Harris gave the Tigers problems from the point guard position all night specifically in the first half.
Coach John Brady was pleased with his team’s comeback effort.
“We played well enough in the second half to win”, said Brady. “Tennessee is the most talented athletic team we will face this year.”
The Tigers missed the services of Stromile Swift for most of the game. Swift only played 23 minutes as he was in foul trouble all night. He would eventually foul out with 30 seconds left in the game.
Due to Swifts absence, the Tigers weren’t able to outrebound its opponent for the first time this year as each team pulled down 38 boards.
The Tigers hit a couple of three pointers courtesy of Jabari Smith and Brian Beshara, but struggled most of the night shooting. LSU shot nine for 29 in the first half. Part of the problem for the Tigers was the lack of consistency running its offense. The Tigers never got into a groove offensively and often settled for bad shots in which they missed.
“I thought we were impatient offensively at times in the first half”, said Brady. “We didnt give a lot of ball or player movement as we would have liked.”
LSU got a basket in transition early in the game when Torris Bright found Smith on a no-look pass behind his back in which Smith finished the play off with a slam. The basket gave LSU an 8-4 lead early on.
Tennessee got its points from Harris as he scored two baskets underneath by penetrating into the paint. He also hit two deep three pointers as he showed off his range.
Both teams exchanged baskets up to the 11:15 mark in which Tennessee led 20-18. The Tigers went cold shooting after that. Bright hit a three pointer at the 8:15 mark, the last basket LSU would make in the first half. In fact the Tigers wouldnt score a field goal again until the 15:34 mark in the second half.
Tennessee, which took advantage off the Tigers’ poor shooting, went on an 18-7 run which opened the game up giving the Volunteers a 12-point lead at halftime. The score was 38-26 in favor of Tennessee.
In the second half LSU continued to struggle shooting the ball but played tough enough defensively to keep itself in the game.
LSU started to get back in the game with a well-executed transition basket. Lamont Roland found Smith running down the floor. Rather than shooting an off balance shot Smith wisely dished the ball to Brad Bridgewater who dunked the ball. It closed the gap to single digits as Tennessee only led by nine points with 13:45 showing on the clock.
Roland then took the game into his own hands. He scored six quick points on jump shots and the Tigers started to show some life as they only trailed 45-40 at the 11:47 mark.
Smith made his free throws down the stretch as the Tigers valiantly tried to make a comeback. Trailing 55-51 Collis Temple nailed a huge three pointer cutting Tennessees lead to one point at 55-54. After LSU made a defensive stop it had possession of the ball with a chance to take the lead. However Beshara turned the ball over squandering LSUs best chance to take the lead with 5:25 left in the game.
Tennessees C.J. Black ended the Tigers momentum by sinking a three on the next possession giving the Volunteers a comfortable 58-54 lead.
LSU fought its way back when Smith made one of two free throws cutting the lead to 62-59. It was the Tigers last chance to win the game. LSU made another big defensive stop, but Smith took an ill-advised three point shot with 30 seconds left in which he missed.
Tennessee retained possession of the ball and hung on to win the game.