By CODY WORSHAM | Tiger Rag Editor
LSU had its first major test of the young season on Wednesday.
It may want a make up.
The Tigers shot 28 percent from the floor and got outrebounded 51-39 in an 82-47 loss to Wichita State in Wednesday’s opening round of the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas.
Antonio Blakeney and Duop Reath were the only Tigers to reach double figures. Blakeney scored 10 of his 12 points in the second half, while Reath, sidelined most of the first half with foul trouble, scored all 11 of his points after the break.
Markie McDuffie led all scorers with 15 points, and Landry Shamet added 12 for the Shockers (5-0), who hit 46 percent from the field and 47 percent from 3.
LSU (3-1) came out ice cold, failing to score its first points until a free throw from Craig Victor — who came off the bench in a return from his three-game suspension — at the 14:38 mark. Back to back threes from Jalyn Patterson and Kieran Hayward pulled LSU within 11-7, but the Shockers answered with a 19-2 run. The Tigers missed 9 of 10 shots in the stretch and trailed 46-19 at the half.
LSU would barely beat the Shockers’ first half points total for the game, but the Tigers put us a better second half effort, tying Wichita State 21-21 in the first 10 minutes after the break. Reath found room to work inside, and Blakeney heated up, scoring 7 straight to trim the deficit to 64-40.
The Shockers used their depth to put it away, adding 47 points off the bench to pull away late.
The Tigers will take on the loser of tonight’s Louisville-Old Dominion contest tomorrow night at 8:30 p.m.
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