MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica – The LSU men’s basketball team looks to rebound from Friday’s 80-78 loss to No. 15 Utah State when it plays the University of Rhode Island Sunday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. CT on the final day of the Jersey Mike’s Jamaica Classic.
The Tigers and the Rams meet at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in a game that will be televised by the CBS Sports Network. Patrick Wright and former coach John Brady will be courtside for the LSU Sports Radio Network affiliates (Baton Rouge broadcast affiliate for flagship Guaranty Media will be 100.7 FM The Tiger).
LSU led for much of the game against Utah State and had a one-point lead in the final two minutes before a Utah State three-pointer proved to be the difference. Senior guard Skylar Mays had a career high of 30 points, hitting five of LSU’s 11 three-pointers, while Darius Days and Emmitt Williams had 14 apiece and a combined 15 rebounds.
Rhode Island won its opening Jamaica game on Friday by a score of 60-47 over North Texas. The Rams trailed 27-24 at intermission, then outscored North Texas, 36-20, in the final 20 minutes. North Texas shot just 7-of-28 in the final half and 3-of-16 from the arc.
Fatts Russell had 22 points to lead Rhode Island in scoring with Tyrese Martin adding 15 and Jeff Dowtin 10 points. Cyril Langevine had 12 rebounds.
“We let a golden opportunity slip away against a great, great team and now we’ve got to reset ourselves and get ready for a great Rhode Island team on Sunday,” Coach Will Wade said on his post-game radio interview Friday night. “We can’t let this loss beat us twice. We did that last year with Florida State and Oklahoma State in Orlando, so we have to be ready to go.”
The team went through about a one hour and 15 minute workout at the Convention Centre at midday Saturday.
Mays’ 30 point game was the first time a Tiger player had scored 30 since Tremont Waters had 36 at Texas A&M on Jan. 30, 2019 and it was the fifth 30-point game in Will Wade‘s tenure at LSU. Mays needs just two points to hit 1,200 career points and needs two steals to crack the top 10 in steals all-time at LSU.
The Tigers return to Baton Rouge late Sunday night and will prepare for its next game at home on Friday, Nov. 29, against Missouri State. Tickets for the game at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center are available Monday through Wednesday at the LSU Athletics Ticket Office and anytime online at LSUTix.net.