Basketball Tigers Host Southeastern, Friday at Maravich Center
BATON ROUGE – The LSU men’s basketball team looks to get back on the winning side of things Friday night at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center when the Tigers host Southeastern at 7 p.m.
Fans attending the game can get a discounted ticket and help the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank. Tickets are just $5 at the PMAC Ticket Office on the upper concourse level with a non-perishable food item or canned good donation. The ticket office will open at 6 p.m.
LSU students are admitted free with a valid ID.
The game will be broadcast on the affiliates of the LSU Sports Radio Network (in Baton Rouge, Guaranty Media flagship Eagle 98.1 FM) with the “Voice” of the Tigers Chris Blair and former LSU men’s basketball head coach John Brady on the call. The game will also be streamed on SECN+ with Lyn Rollins and Victor Howell.
The Tigers are 4-3 after dropping an 80-57 decision at Syracuse Tuesday, struggling to not only shoot the three-pointer (2-of-22) but also stopping the three-pointer as Syracuse hit 8-of-13 in the final 20 minutes to help extend a five-point halftime advantage.
It was Syracuse’s foul shooting in the first half that allowed them in the last seven minutes of the half to get the lead for good, making 14-of-15 free throw attempts.
Those free throws took away from a solid first-half rebound effort by LSU and a game in which 44 of LSU’s 57 points came in the paint.
“The first half I thought offensively, the numbers won’t reflect it, but when we moved the ball, I thought we got some good shots. We weren’t able to convert some of those, we turned it over too many times but at one point we were plus 10 on the glass,” said LSU Coach Matt McMahon. “I thought we really defended well in the first half and despite the poor shooting percentages, it enabled us to hang around … then that run to start the second half we were not able to overcome that.”
Jordan Wright had 15 points for the third straight game to lead LSU in scoring and sophomore Jalen Reed posted his first collegiate double double with 14 points and 11 boards.
“I think when you look at Jalen Reed’s rebounding, that would be a positive there and then Jordan Wright’s defensive rebounding (7),” said Coach McMahon. “A lot of those 50/50 rebounds in the second half we were unable to get and that’s how you went from plus 10 to minus seven on the glass at that point. A lot of lessons to be learned there, I know the number that stands out is the 2-of-22 from three, but I think some of the things that have to get cleaned up are the turnovers (19) and then the ability to guard the three points shot, where we continue to struggle.”
Southeastern is 2-5 on the season, but coming off a 101-55 win over Southern-New Orleans in which they hit 14 three-point field goals. The Tigers have allowed five-of-the-seven teams it has played to hit double digit treys so far this season.
This will be the final game before exams begin for the fall semester on Monday. LSU will next be in action on Saturday, Dec. 9, against Kansas State at 12:30 p.m. at the Maravich Center.