MOBILE, Ala. – Freshman Andre Stringer equaled his career high in points and was one of two players to hit four three-pointers as LSU used a strong first half to defeat South Alabama, 80-65, at the Mitchell Center.
The win was the first for LSU on an opponent’s home court since Feb. 28, 2009, when LSU defeated Kentucky.
The game was part of the annual Coors Classic and Stringer was named the game’s MVP.
The offensive start for the Tigers (4-2) put USA (2-3) on the defensive from the beginning. LSU made six of their first seven shots, including a pair of 3-pointers, and finished the first half making 16 of 24 shots (66.7%) and 10-of-13 (76.9%) 3-pointers.
The shooting spree, coupled by solid defense, gave the Tigers more 3-pointers made in the first 20 minutes than field goals made by South Alabama. The Jaguars made just 7 of 25 field goals in the first half and failed to connect on six 3-point tries.
That defense was keyed by Aaron Dotson as he shut down Tim Williams, holding him to just two first half points as he was 0-of-4 from the field.
“We had some guys shoot the ball well and we had some guys execute in the half-court and I thought from a defensive standpoint we did a very, very good job,” LSU coach Trent Johnson said. “We have to get off to good starts. We’re a team. We don’t have a guy or two who can go off and give you 30, but we’ve got guys who are going to do a good job.
“I expect us to shoot the ball when we’re executing and I expect guys to make shots when we’re in rhythm.”
The fast start was triggered by Ralston Turner who scored 17 points on 5-of-7 shooting, including making 2 of 4 from 3-point range. Andre Stringer finished with 21 points, matching his career-high, while Dotson added15 and Storm Warren scored nine.
Warren and Dotson both had four three-pointers, while Turner and Matt Derenbecker had two each as LSU finished 12-of-17 from the arc for 70.6 percent, the first time LSU has been over 60 percent at the three-point line since 2006. LSU shot 53.2 percent for the game, making the Tigers 9-0 in the Trent Johnson era when shooting over 50 percent.
“We got off to a great start,” Stringer said. “Coach stressed that we were going to be in a hostile environment. We were feeling good and a lot of our shots were going down in the first half. It’s a big confidence builder when shots are falling and it makes you want to defend even harder.”
Turner said the win is one that can prove important for a young team.
“Coach said it was important not to start off lethargic, that we needed to come out with a lot of energy, but the main thing was to execute our offense. The main thing was to keep them in front of us and play good team defense. The shooting, it was a confidence builder. I’ve done it before but the main thing is we played together as a team. “We fought. We learned you’ve got to go out and fight. We have great chemistry, but we can get even better. I think that showed today.”
LSU jumped out to a 15-4 lead in less than six minutes and by the halfway point of the first half held a 28-15 lead over the Jaguars, who have now lost two games in a row after a loss at UAB earlier in the week. South Alabama scored just one basket in the final five minutes of the half and LSU led by 25 at intermission, 55-30.
“You’re not going to win many games giving up 53 percent from the floor and 70 percent from the 3s,” South Alabama coach Ronnie Arrow said. “We just keep burying ourselves. We cut it to 12 points (late in the second half), but then we made some bad decisions.”
The Jags were led by Martino Brock’s 15 points, with P. J Reyes adding 12. The Jags shot 33.3 percent from the floor (18 for 54) and improved its 3-point shooting in the second half, making six.
The Tigers now play its final game of the first half of the season at home against Houston on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Maravich Center. Tickets are available at LSUtix.net.
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