Men’s Basketball Falls on the Road at No. 19 Kentucky

LEXINGTON, Kentucky – The Kentucky Wildcats used a strong start to put the LSU Tigers on their heels and score a 95-64 win over LSU Tuesday night at Rupp Arena.

The Tigers were overwhelmed in the first half by Kentucky scoring runs and three pointers as Kentucky shot 58.6 percent (20-of-34) overall from the field in the first 20 minutes and 7-of-14 from distance.

The Wildcats had 15-0 and 12-0 runs in the opening stanza to help Kentucky get out to a 15-2 advantage and would reach as much as 27 points in the final minute of the first half. The Wildcats led, 50-23, at the intermission.

Both teams were doing well in the paint with Kentucky getting 26 points in the paint and LSU had 20 points as the Tigers were 0-of-8 from distance and 11-of-29 overall (37.9 percent).

LSU was able to play more evenly in the second half with the Wildcats, being outscored only four points, as LSU was able to shoot 51.7 percent from the floor, making 15-of-29 with six three-pointers.

For the game, LSU shot 26-of-58 from the field (44.8 percent), 6-of-22 from distance (27.3 percent) and finished 6-of-10 from the free throw line.

Kentucky would finish at 50.7 percent (36-of-71) with 12 three pointers and a perfect 11-of 11 from the line.

Robert Miller III led LSU with 15 points on 7-of-11 field goal shooting with six rebounds, while Cam Carter had 14 points and Jordan Sears 13. Dji Bailey also had six rebounds.

Otega Oweh had 24 points to lead Kentucky as the only starter in double figures. Brandon Garrison and Ansley Almonor scored 15 each and Collin Chandler scored 11 points. Oweh also had eight rebounds and Lamont Butler had five assists.

LSU had 16 turnovers that resulted in 18 points off turnovers.

LSU again played without Corey Chest for the second straight game with his toe/foot injury and Vyctorius Miller missed his second game after turning his ankle in the first few minutes of Saturday’s game against Mississippi State.

The Tigers close the regular season on Saturday at 3 p.m. at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center against Texas A&M.

Post-Game Quotes
LSU Coach Matt McMahon

On how the big runs by Kentucky in the first half affected the game…
“Yeah, they were ready to go. As disappointed as I am in our performance, I gotta give them great credit for the way they played tonight. I thought [Lamont] Butler and [Otega] Oweh dominated the game with their physicality on the defensive end. That got them out in transition. You can’t simulate the pace they play at. They play with great speed in the open floor. They really shared the ball well tonight and we just struggled to get stops against their high-powered offense.”

On how Kentucky’s bigs generate the offense…
“Yeah, it’s really interesting. On the defensive end, I think [Lamont] Butler and [Otega] Oweh run the show there. On the offensive end, [Amari] Williams at the five plays as a point forward as you described very well. He’s a great playmaker at 6’11. He really identifies their shooters. He’s a great passer on those back cuts when you try and take away the three. They were able to really spread us out and space us on that offensive end and Williams made us pay. And then [Brandon] Garrison, the All-American off the bench, steps up and hits a couple big threes for them as well”