CHARLESTON, SC – The LSU men’s basketball team couldn’t match the early intensity and shooting of the home-standing College of Charleston Cougars Monday night at TD Arena and used a 22-point halftime advantage to score a 70-58 victory over the Tigers.
The game marked LSU’s third straight loss (3-3) and the third straight game in which LSU struggled from the field.
LSU made just 6-of-its first 25 shots over 20 minutes, including just 2-of-10 from the arc and 3-of-10 from the free throw line (including two potential one-and-one situations). Meanwhile the Cougars (4-2), made 16-of-33 attempts and 5-of-10 from the arc in building a 39-17 advantage after 20 minutes.
The Cougars hit their first shot from three but Ben Simmons came down and took his first three-pointer of the season and hit it as part of a 5-0 run that gave LSU its only lead at 5-3 89 seconds into the game. The Tigers hung close for the next five minutes, trailing 11-10 when Brian Bridgewater made the two of LSU’s three free throws in the first half with 13:40 to go in the opening stanza.
From there Charleston, playing before a season high near-sellout crowd of 4,761 went on a 13-0 run as Cameron Johnson and Canyon Barry hit three-pointers; Nick Harris (dunk), Marquise Pointer and Barry (both with layups) and a free throw by Harris did the damage.
LSU got it back to 10 on four straight by Tim Quarterman before another run for Charleston of 13 points up the margin out to 23 before it finished at 22 for the half.
Up against a true wall and needing at least a 50-point half to get back in the contest, Charleston became the cold shooting team hitting only 9-of-31 shots in the second half. But while LSU improved, they were only able to make 13-of-36 (36.1%) and 3-of-13 from the arc in the final 20 minutes.
LSU had the game down to 50-40 with 9:23 to play, but then a 7-0 run and a near two-minute scoreless stretch by the teams put LSU down 57-40 as the clock ticked to six minutes. LSU continued to show the energy it needed in the second half and got the game down to first eight, 60-52, with 2:25 to play and then seven, 63-56, on a Jalyn Patterson three with 1:09 to go.
After an LSU timeout, Barry had the ball stolen away from him by LSU’s Simmons and Quarterman had a three-ball in the air to cut it to four points, but the shot went awry and Charleston made 7-of-8 free throws down the stretch to seal it.
Simmons had his fourth straight double double but made only 4-of-15 shots in a 15-point, 18-rebound night with four assists. Quarterman was the only other player in double figures with 14 points. Aaron Epps started at forward instead of center Elbert Robinson III (dressed but did not play) and played 21 minutes with 9 points on 4-of-5 shooting. Brian Bridgewater had a career night on the boards with nine in 18 minutes to go with 7 points and three blocks. Patterson had 6 points, 5 assists and three steals.
Barry had 19 points while Johnson added 13 and Pointer 12 for Charleston which had a 32-22 advantage in point in the paint, a 14-12 advantage in points off turnovers (9-1 in the first 20 minutes), while second chance points were event. LSU was out rebounds, 47-46.
The Tigers will host North Florida on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the Maravich Center in a game streamed on SECN+ and broadcast on the LSU Sports Radio Network.
POSTGAME QUOTES
LSU Head Coach Johnny Jones
On the play of College of Charleston …
“We knew coming into the game this was going to be a hard basketball game tonight. This team, what they have done in preseason, with their schedule and the way they have played tonight was a lot of the same. I think they (College of Charleston) did an excellent job coming out in the beginning of the game establishing themselves offensively, making plays and got out of the gate like they needed to. They did an excellent job of getting off to a great start. They played the game the way it needed to be played.”
On trying to overcome the first-half deficit …
“We did not recover in the first half. In the second half, I think we came out and played with a little bit more sense of urgency, offensively and defensively. We had a much better second half, but you can’t afford to play a team like this and come out without that same type of desire. We did not do a great job of sharing the ball enough, screening, and making tough plays, which they did in the first half. We had to get after them at halftime and make sure we understood the way that we were playing was not acceptable. We had to come out and play tougher.”
College of Charleston Head Coach Earl Grant
On the game …
“Our guys did a great job. I give them all the credit. They played hard, they played together and they deserved to win tonight. We had a couple of days to prepare (for LSU). Even though we won, it wasn’t easy. Our guys bounced back with a great crowd and were able to show the fans a great spirit.”
On playing LSU and building on a signature win …
“Yesterday, someone interviewed me and said, ‘What do you think about LSU and Ben Simmons?’ and I said, ‘it’s just the next game on the schedule and it’s going to be hard.’ But, every game is hard. Everything is a first for us and for me. This is the first signature win, so ‘how will they respond?’ I don’t know. We have tomorrow off, but on Wednesday when we practice, I won’t be thinking about LSU. There are so many things we can get better at. We just have to keep figuring out what they are and improve on them.”
On getting out to a big lead in the first half …
“It is dangerous being up big at half. Sometimes you feel like the game is over. We weathered the storm.”
College of Charleston Junior Guard Canyon Barry
On the game …
“This was one of the most fun games I have ever played. But, we approach every game the same. We came out and gave 100 percent effort. Ben Simmons is a heck of a player and definitely a first-round draft pick. We trusted our defense and our four-man guard. Overall, our team played great together – great execution, great flow. We got a little stagnate towards the end of the second half, had some turnovers late, but we were able to hold it off and great win for the Cougars.”
On the team’s rebounding effort against LSU …
“Everyone was boxing out and limiting Ben Simmons‘ rebounds. Everyone did a great job following the game plan. Its impressive we outrebounded that team, because they have a pretty big size.”
On the big win over LSU …
“Every win helps. It’s exciting to come away with this win, but moving forward, we kind of have to forget about it. Celebrate tonight, but then come back tomorrow and be ready to work, because it’s in the past.”
On the play of Nick Harris …
“That is the Nick Harris we all know. He has been removed from the game (after redshirting the 2014-15 season), but seeing him come back tonight against such a great team, which LSU was, it was really exciting to see.”
College of Charleston Sophomore Guard Cameron Johnson
On the momentum to start the first half …
“Coach (Grant) told us to attack from the jump and play our ball – that’s what we did tonight.”