LSU Gets Worn Down In 2nd Half At Texas A&M

GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor

LSU played with No. 11 Texas A&M for most of the game Saturday in College Station, but the Tigers hit a road block midway through the second half and never recovered in a 68-57 loss at Reed Arena.

LSU guard Dji Bailey hit a jumper to give the Tigers a 43-42 lead with 14:09 to play in a thrilling opening of the second half as the teams traded baskets. But LSU soon wilted as the Aggies (14-4, 3-2 Southeastern Conference) outscored LSU (12-6, 1-4 SEC) 10-0 over the next six minutes to take a 52-43 lead a the 8:16 mark on a Solomon Washington 3-pointer.

The Tigers were never closer than seven the rest of the way as the Aggies snapped a two-game losing streak. LSU was coming off a home win over Arkansas.

“We had empty trip after empty trip,” LSU coach Matt McMahon said. “We were unable to recover after that point. They imposed their will physically.”

LSU committed 11 of its 15 turnovers in the second half as Texas A&M had just nine for the game.

“The ball moved a lot better for us in the first half,” McMahon said.

The Tigers led 22-20 in the first half before a 30-30 halftime score. Guard Cam Carter led LSU with 16 points and had five rebounds and four assists with 3-of-6 shooting from 3-point range. LSU’s only other player in double figures was point guard Jordan Sears off the bench with 11, but eight of those came on free throws. He missed seven of eight shots, including six of seven from 3-point range.

LSU got off just 47 shots against the Aggies’ smothering defense, hitting 17 for 36.2 percent. A&M hit 26 of 61 shots for 42.6 percent.

Zhuric Phelps led the Aggies with 13 points and had six rebounds and six assists. Wade Taylor IV added 12, and Henry Coleman III scored 10.

LSU does not play again for seven days, but the schedule gets even more difficult as it plays at No. 4 Alabama (15-3, 4-1 SEC) on Saturday (7:30 p.m., SEC Network), then hosts No. 1 Auburn (17-1, 5-0 SEC) on Wednesday, Jan. 29 (6 p.m., SEC Network). Alabama won 102-97 at No. 8 Kentucky Saturday, while Auburn won 70-68 at Georgia.

“The effort is there,” McMahon said. “The preparation is there. We have to focus on the execution.”