BATON ROUGE — The LSU Tigers and John Brady came in to Rupp Arena with a plan of attack on how to play the Kentucky Wildcats. The Tigers couldn’t pull a “Bluegrass Miracle” but they made the Wildcats work hard in a 68-57 decision over LSU Saturday afternoon in a regionally televised SEC contest.
In a place known to swallow opponents and a building where Kentucky had a 31-point lead on No. 1 Florida and a 20-plus lead on Georgia this past Tuesday, the Tigers did more than just show up. They battled and fought to the bitter end.
The Tigers dropped to 14-9 and 3-8 in the Southeastern Conference with the loss, heading into an open date Wednesday before the final five games of the regular season begin next Saturday at the Maravich Assembly Center against Arkansas. Jaime Lloreda led LSU on 8-of-12 shooting with 18 points, nine rebounds and three blocked shots, while Collis Temple had 13 points and Torris Bright and Ronald Dupree had 10 each.
For the Wildcats, the owners of the nation’s longest winning streak at 14 games (20-3, 10-0), Keith Bogans led Kentucky with 20 points and Gerald Fitch had 15 more. Two Kentucky players, Erik Daniels and Chuck Hayes, pulled down 10 rebounds each as Kentucky out rebounded LSU, 46-30, and Hayes had six blocked shots.
The Tigers tried to keep the game workable and forced Kentucky into its worst shooting performance of the season at Rupp Arena (39.3 percent).
Even when Kentucky and its 22,000-plus fans at the Arena seemed to find a comfort zone and enjoy another win when the Wildcats opened up a 20-point second half lead, the Tigers came roaring back to the cut the game down to just five points in the final minute.
The Tigers did not come out very sharp, missing one shot and turning the ball over three times on a jump ball, a charge and a five-second count.
Kentucky dominated the offensive boards, getting its first nine points on second chance opportunities, but the tempo of the game right from the start stayed LSU’s way as the Wildcats missed 14 of their first 17 shots. LSU was able to keep the game close, getting one lead midway through the half and had opportunities late in the half to tie the game or take the lead but the Tigers were 1-of-6 from the free throw line in the first half.
Kentucky went to the dressing room up only six on the 15-point underdog Tigers, 27-21. In the first half, 15 of Kentucky’s 27 points were off LSU’s 12 turnovers and the Wildcats, after the sluggish shooting start made 7-of-their last 14 shots from the field.
The second half started much like the first with LSU giving up an offensive put back before Lloreda put his own offensive put back in. Fitch hit an off the dribble jump shot to go up 31-23, equaling the biggest Kentucky lead of the game, which previously occurred late in the first half. Collis Temple got LSU back to six, 31-25, before Fitch hit a top of the key three to give Kentucky a 34-25 lead with 16:30 to go as the Wildcats sensed a chance to blow the game open.
But Lloreda, against a double team, dropped in a short jumper, was fouled and continued LSU’s woes at the line by missing the free throw to make it 34-27. Kentucky had two chances to widen the margin, but LSU’s transition defense proved strong on the next two possessions, drawing a charge and a travel. Temple nailed a three pointer to be the first Tiger in double figure cutting the game to four and putting right where Coach Brady wanted it, 34-30, at the 14:30 mark.
Jules Camara hit a jumper from 17 feet to make it 36-30 off a Bogans feed and then Lloreda missed on a drive, had an offensive rebound shot blocked and then Kentucky hit two free throws to push the lead back to eight, 38-30, at the 13:21 mark.
Kentucky committed its sixth foul at the 13:09 mark, putting LSU and its struggling free throw shooting at the line the rest of the way. But LSU couldn’t take advantage after a strong motion offense possession when Lloreda traveled as he went to the goal for an easy lay up.
The Wildcats after two resets eventually threw the ball away and Temple hit one free throw to make it 38-31. On the other end, Antwain Barbour’s three was partially blocked by Lloreda, but Bogan got the rebound and gave Kentucky its biggest lead of the game at 10, 41-31, with 11:30 to go in the game.
The teams traded baskets before Kentucky followed an LSU miss with Barber getting another offensive board and a foul to give Kentucky a 45-33 lead forcing John Brady to call a time out with 10:11 to play. LSU missed a three and Fitch took a Bogans pass for a three and a 48-33 lead with 9:17 to go as the Wildcats began to asset itself offensively, rolling the lead to 54-35.
The Wildcats made it 20, 57-37, and Kentucky was looking for the kill, but Bright scored a trey and two free throws before Dupree made a free throw to cut it to 57-43 at the 4:20 mark as LSU tried full-court pressure, disturbing the Wildcats who turned it over again. Dupree hit a trey and at the four minute mark it was just 57-46 after a 9-0 LSU run.
Kentucky stopped the run to make it 59-46 at the 3:29 mark, but Lloreda got an offensive board to make it 59-48 as the game went to the final three minutes. Lloreda went to the line with 1:06 to play, down 61-50, with a chance to get the game under 10. He made both and LSU trailed, 61-52, with 1:06 to play as the teams went to the huddle for the final media time out.
Temple forced a turnover on the inbounds, missed a shot but a put back bucket got LSU to within seven at 61-54 with exactly one minute left.
Kentucky made one free throw on its next possession and Bright off an Antonio Hudson pass hit a three from the top of the key to cut it to five, 62-57, with just 40 seconds to play. Kentucky got a run out on the in bounds and Dupree was forced to commit his fifth foul. Kentucky hit two free throws and Bright missed a runner in which Kentucky rebounded and LSU fouled, virtually sealing the game with 30.4 seconds left.
Kentucky widened the lead to the final margin at the free throw line.