LSU Battles, But Falls Just Short in Road Test Against No. 20 Arkansas
For 40 minutes, LSU went toe-to-toe with No. 20 Arkansas in a high-octane SEC showdown Saturday afternoon, but the Tigers couldn’t quite close the deal, falling 85-81 in a game that had the feel of a March battle.
This one had everything-momentum swings, clutch shooting, and a breakout performance from a freshman point guard returning to the fold. Dedan Thomas Jr., making just his second SEC appearance after missing the first five conference games with a lower leg injury, looked like he hadn’t missed a beat. In 31 minutes, the freshman floor general dropped 18 points and dished out five assists, showing poise beyond his years and giving LSU a much-needed spark.
The Tigers led for over 26 minutes and carried a 37-33 advantage into halftime, thanks to a strong close to the first half and a clear edge in the paint. They extended that lead to eight early in the second half, but Arkansas responded with a flurry of timely buckets, led by the red-hot Darius Acuff Jr., to swing momentum their way and ultimately seal the win.
Despite the loss, LSU’s starting five came to play-each one finishing in double figures. Michael Nwoko was a force inside, scoring 14 points efficiently and pulling down five boards.
Max Mackinnon continued to be a matchup nightmare, also finishing with 14, while Marquel Sutton chipped in 11, going a perfect 7-for-7 from the line. Pablo Tamba quietly put together a double-double-12 points, 10 rebounds-on perfect shooting from the field, adding more muscle to LSU’s interior dominance.
And that dominance showed up in the box score. LSU outrebounded Arkansas 36-28, outscored them in the paint 42-36, and crushed them on second-chance points 20-8. Those hustle stats kept the Tigers in it even as Arkansas started heating up from deep.
But make no mistake-Darius Acuff Jr. was the difference. The Razorbacks’ guard exploded for a game-high 31 points, including 24 in the second half.
He shot 13-of-19 from the field and knocked down four threes, many of them backbreakers in the final stretch. Arkansas as a team shot a blistering 56.7% from the floor and hit 10 of their 22 threes-six of those coming in the second half, when they closed the game by hitting 11 of their final 12 shots.
LSU shot a respectable 45.9% from the field and went 22-of-25 from the free-throw line, but the three-point line told the story. The Tigers hit just three triples all afternoon, and that 21-point gap from beyond the arc proved too much to overcome.
The first half was a back-and-forth affair, with LSU holding a narrow edge at the break thanks to a 46.9% shooting clip and strong free-throw shooting. But in the second half, Arkansas turned up the heat.
After LSU built an eight-point lead, the Razorbacks responded with a 7-0 run to tie it up at 50-all with just under 13 minutes to play. From there, it was a game of punches and counterpunches-until Acuff and company delivered the final blow.
LSU tried to claw back from a seven-point deficit late, but Arkansas’ shot-making down the stretch was simply too much. The Razorbacks shot 67.7% in the second half and outscored the Tigers 52-44 after the break.
After the game, LSU head coach Matt McMahon praised his team’s effort but acknowledged the challenge of slowing down a player like Acuff.
“The thing about Darius Acuff is his poise and ability to read the defense,” McMahon said. “We tried to throw the kitchen sink at him.
We couldn’t rattle him, especially in the last ten minutes. If we trapped, he made the right play.
We went zone, and he hit a big three at the buzzer. We just couldn’t get enough stops.”
McMahon also highlighted the positives-LSU’s work on the glass, the low turnover count (just nine), and the ability to get to the line and convert.
“We went 22-for-25, which was fantastic,” he added. “But they hit big shots-timely threes to stretch the lead.
All that said, we were still right there in a one-possession game. We just didn’t get a good look late to try and take the lead.”
There’s no moral victory in the SEC, but there’s plenty for LSU to build on. The Tigers showed they can hang with a ranked team on the road, and with Dedan Thomas Jr. back in the mix, this team has another gear.
Next up, LSU returns home to the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on Wednesday, Jan. 28, for a matchup with Mississippi State. Tip-off is set for 6:00 p.m. CT, and the game will be broadcast on the SEC Network and the LSU Sports Radio Network.