LSU Starts Fast but Fizzles Late in Eighth SEC Loss to Georgia
For once, LSU came out swinging.
After weeks of sluggish starts in SEC play-especially at home-the Tigers finally delivered the opening punch inside the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. They played with pace, purpose, and precision in the first 10 minutes, building a 15-point lead and giving the home crowd something to believe in.
But that early surge turned out to be more spark than fire. Once Georgia settled in, the Bulldogs took control and never gave it back, outscoring LSU 83-71 and handing the Tigers their eighth conference loss of the season.
Let’s break down how it all unraveled.
A Dream Start That Didn’t Last
LSU couldn’t have scripted a better opening. The Tigers knocked down five threes in the first 10 minutes, shot over 60% from the field, and raced out to a 31-16 lead. Max Mackinnon was hot early, giving LSU a much-needed offensive jolt, and the team looked energized on both ends.
But that momentum evaporated just as quickly as it arrived.
Georgia-a team that came into the night leading the nation in scoring-found its rhythm and closed the half on a 26-6 run. LSU’s double-digit lead flipped into a five-point deficit at the break, 42-37, and the Tigers never truly recovered.
Offensive Collapse After the Hot Start
The first 10 minutes were crisp, efficient, and confident. The rest? A grind.
After starting 11-of-18 from the field, LSU managed just 32% shooting over the final 30 minutes. Even more glaring: the Tigers missed their last 16 three-point attempts after opening 5-of-7 from deep. That’s not just a cold streak-it’s a complete freeze-out.
Turnovers added fuel to the fire. LSU coughed it up 13 times after the hot start, and Georgia turned those mistakes into 23 points. Mackinnon cooled off, Michael Nwoko fouled out after just 15 minutes, and LSU’s offense sputtered as clean looks became rare.
There was no second wind, no counterpunch. Just a team that looked stuck in neutral while Georgia kept pressing the gas.
The Three-Point Line: LSU’s Ongoing Achilles Heel
Sometimes, the box score tells a deeper story than the final score alone. Despite some statistical balance-turnovers and offensive rebounds were close-one area stood out like a sore thumb: the three-point line.
Georgia hit 10 threes. LSU hit five.
But here’s the kicker: all five of LSU’s makes came in the first 10 minutes. After that, nothing.
Zero for 16.
This isn’t a one-off issue, either. LSU has struggled with the three-point line all season-both in making shots and defending them.
And it’s not just this year. It’s been a recurring problem for multiple seasons now.
In today’s game, where spacing and shooting are everything, being consistently outgunned from deep is a tough hill to climb. And for LSU, it’s been more like a mountain.
Final Thoughts
There’s no question LSU showed something early-energy, shot-making, urgency. But the inability to sustain that level, especially against a high-powered offense like Georgia’s, proved costly.
This was a game that teased promise but ultimately delivered a familiar result: another conference loss, another night where the Tigers couldn’t put together a full 40 minutes.
The early punch was there. The follow-up? Still missing.