In a matchup that highlighted their offensive struggles, LSU fell to Oklahoma with a score of 83-67. Both teams, sitting near the bottom of the SEC standings, played true to their rankings on Saturday.
Oklahoma's offensive prowess was on full display, particularly from beyond the arc. The Sooners hit 10-of-26 from three-point range and connected on 47.5% of their field goals overall.
Head Coach Porter Moser credited their defensive efforts for fueling the offense, saying, "I really believe our defense helped our offense. I have so much respect for the ball screen offense that [LSU] runs.
They’re very hard to guard… it was one of our better ball screen defensive nights.”
Guards Xzayvier Brown and Nijel Pack were pivotal, scoring 20 and 21 points respectively, and controlling the game for Oklahoma. LSU's Head Coach Matt McMahon acknowledged their impact, stating, “I thought their guards dominated the game on both ends of the floor.
We struggled to contain them one-on-one, off the bounce. Pack puts such pressure on your defense with his ability to shoot the three from deep.”
LSU attempted to match Oklahoma's pace from three-point land but only managed 6-of-23, with PJ Carter hitting three of those in the closing minutes. Carter finished 4-for-6 from the perimeter.
The Tigers never found consistent momentum after an initial 5-0 run. Their shooting woes were evident, with just 34.9% of field goals made. McMahon admitted, “I didn’t do a good enough job of getting our players high quality shots where we could be more efficient on the offensive end.”
A pivotal moment came early when Max Mackinnon received a Flagrant 1 foul. Returning from a standout 34-point performance against Ole Miss, Mackinnon struggled initially, shooting 2-for-8 at halftime. However, he led LSU with 17 points, showing resilience as he found his rhythm in the second half.
Despite the offensive struggles, LSU moved the ball well early on, with eight players each contributing a field goal within the first 12 minutes. Jalen Reece, a freshman point guard, continued his upward trajectory, dishing out eight assists.
On the boards, LSU held a slight edge with 37 rebounds to Oklahoma's 35. Pablo Tamba was instrumental, notching a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Defensively, Robert Miller III shone once more. Standing at 6-foot-10, he blocked four shots and disrupted Oklahoma's offense under the rim. His defensive presence was complemented by setting crucial on-ball screens and grabbing eight rebounds.
Miller's inclusion in the starting lineup was a strategic decision based on LSU's most efficient offensive combinations. Both he and Tamba have been key contributors, stepping up when needed.
Late in the game, Miller took a hit to the face and briefly left for the locker room but is expected to be fine moving forward.
As the game wound down, the atmosphere in the PMAC was subdued, with a sparse crowd. Mackinnon remarked on the environment, “It’s tricky with the environment that we’re in.
There’s not much fans. But there’s no difference… It’s still hoops at the end of the day.”
For LSU, the challenge remains to find consistency and capitalize on their potential as the season progresses.