LSU Gold

Late Threes Erase Men's Basketball Comeback

by Kent Lowe (@LSUkent)
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Late Threes Erase Men's Basketball Comeback

BOSSIER CITY, La. — Garrett Stutz hit a three-pointer with seven seconds to play to give Wichita State a 70-69 win over LSU Saturday night at the CenturyTel Center.

Stutz’ bucket wiped out an LSU comeback to take the lead from a 14-point halftime deficit against the Shockers, who are now 8-2 on the season. LSU falls to 7-4 on the year.

The Tigers were able to rally to take a 68-64 lead with 36 seconds left before Wichita made its final charge.

The Shockers were 14-of-17 at the free throw line in the first half and able to take advantage of 22 percent shooting in the opening half by the Tigers.

Three players had 13 each for Wichita State — J. T. Durley, Toure’ Murry and David Kyles. Stutz finished with 12. LSU was led by Ralston Turner with 21, Andre Stringer 18 and Garrett Green a career high 15 and his career high in rebounds with 13.

LSU plays Wednesday at the Maravich Center in Baton Rouge against North Texas at 7 p.m.

COACH TRENT JOHNSON
“That is a good basketball team. I thought our team did a good job in the second half. We didn’t play real well the first half just in turns of overall execution. Without looking at the tape, I thought it was a combination of what we didn’t do and a combination of what (Wichita State) did. Then in the second half, I thought we got in a pretty good rhythm and made some plays. It’s hard not to be encouraged because we have such young perimeter players and (Wichita State) is a very physical and talented team from top to bottom that we had a chance to beat tonight. We did a little better on the glass, did a little better job blocking out on the glass, but still we’ve got to get a lot better in those areas.”

“(The losses) are all tough. But for me when you are coaching a group that is young and inexperienced you would like to see them get rewarded. But we’ll get over it and move on.”

WICHITA STATE HEAD COACH GREGG MARSHALL

On Garrett Stultz’s game-winning 3-pointer
“He’s a skilled kid. We said when we recruited him that he could make three’s and he still make three’s obviously. That was a big one right there. What I liked most more than anything since Garett has been struggling but he was able to make the big play and hit the winning shot. I was praying when the ball was in the air we all were obviously for something good to happen to him.  The other thing that I was proud of was that we didn’t panic and force something, we were mature, we were solid, we didn’t force something up there. Ultimately because of that you get a wide open shot. Other guys had a chance to shoot it and last year’s team, I really believe would have shot that ball and tried to force something. We have matured beyond those decisions.”

On LSU
“It was a tale of two halves. Their bigs didn’t get a chance to play in the first half. In the second half there was an entirely different whistle and it was like our guys weren’t able to play. So, I had foul trouble in the second half, they had foul trouble in the first half.  They were in the double bonus with 16 minutes to go if I’m not mistaken. If they can stay out of foul trouble with those bigs and those guards shoot it like they did, they will be pleased. Ralston Turner is unbelievable I mean we were trying to deny him the ball, we were switching out, we were doing all kinds of things and he is just an incredible shooter. I know (Andre) Stringer is as well. We dodged a bullet. It would have been a terrible way to lose, leading the entire game. You have to give them credit, because they hung in there. I have watched so many games of theirs, Central Michigan- same type of game.  I don’t know if Central Michigan got up like this. Coastal Carolina, McNeese State; all these games were similar, they came back at the end force over time and were able to win all but Coastal Carolina and Nicholls State. I think they are young and building and that they will be very good.”