LEXINGTON, Ky. — The LSU men’s basketball team finds itself going from one raucous SEC basketball venue to another as the Tigers, following a loss on Saturday at Arkansas’ Bud Walton Arena, travels here to face the Kentucky Wildcats in Rupp Arena Wednesday night at 7 p.m. CST.
The game will be televised in the Southeast on the league’s syndicated package through Jefferson Pilot Sports (WAFB-TV, Channel 9).
The game will be broadcast in Louisiana on the LSU Sports Network (Eagle 98.1 FM in Baton Rouge) and on the Internet at www.LSUsports.net.
The Tigers were defeated 87-70 by the Razorbacks in a game in which the two teams combined for 60 turnovers (LSU 33, Arkansas 27) and a combined 74 points off turnovers. LSU was down 25 points at the half, before cutting the game down to 12 with just three minutes to play as the Tigers came out with a strong second-half performance.
Arkansas pressed LSU for a good portion of the game, getting the crowd quickly into the flow of the game, and Kentucky may be expected to do a similar thing to get the expected Rupp Arena throng of 23,000-plus going as well.
“It doesn’t get any easier for us,” said LSU Coach John Brady of his situation. “I was pleased with the way we responded in the second half against Arkansas. We did play a better second 20 minutes and we are going to need to play extremely well to have a chance at Kentucky. We are looking forward to it. Rupp Arena is a great place to play. Hopefully we will be able to take better care of the ball than we did at Arkansas.”
Brian Beshara came out of his shooting slump to get 19-second half points for the Tigers in the game, to finish with 23 points for the 11-12, 1-11 Tigers. Ronald Dupree, who came off the bench after a minor rules violation prior to the game, got his 12th double double of the season with 13 points and 14 rebounds.
Kentucky is the hottest team in the league, having won seven straight games, including a perfect 9-0 in the division. The Wildcats are coming off a 79-74 win at Vanderbilt this past Saturday. The 17-7, 10-2 Wildcats are 13th-ranked in this week’s Associated Press Top 25 poll and have a two-game leading in the East over Florida and three games over Georgia. Kentucky has a one-game lead over Ole Miss for the overall SEC championship race.
Tayshaun Prince has been the SEC Player of the Week twice in the last three weeks, scoring a career high 30 against Tennessee and 27 points against Vanderbilt.
LSU returns home for its final two games of the season at the Maravich Assembly Center, beginning Saturday at 7 p.m. against Mississippi State.