With five Tigers jumbled together in a crowded postgame media session Saturday, LSU’s lone senior representative spoke up.
Guard Charles Carmouche, maligned after playing only three minutes in a gritty 10-point loss to Tennessee just four days earlier, gave a concise summary of what transpired over the past 55 minutes.
“We pretty much owed [Alabama] this one,” Carmouche said. “This was a war.”
Carmouche put aside his dismal performance at Tennessee to spark LSU (16-9, 7-7 Southeastern Conference) past Alabama in triple overtime for a crucial 97-94 victory at the PMAC, bringing his team to .500 in SEC play and back in the middle of the conference standings.
The New Orleans native set the pace for the Tigers early, opening the marathon with a 3-pointer and snatching three quick rebounds within the first four minutes.
As double teams descended upon red-hot Tiger forward Johnny O’Bryant III on his every touch and sophomore guard Anthony Hickey’s play became more erratic than beneficial, Carmouche steadied the ship, leading LSU with seven points at the half and opening the second half with a trey from the top of the key.
“It’s great to have a group of guys like this who trust and believe in each other,” said LSU coach Johnny Jones. “Winning is important to them.”
Carmouche’s efforts were matched by Alabama junior guard Trevor Releford, whose 3-pointer put the Tigers in a 10-point hole with 6:48 left in regulation. Releford would finish with 36 points on 4-for-5 shooting from 3-point land.
Hickey was made a spectator for most of the Alabama onslaught when Jones noticed he wasn’t his usual assertive self and lifted him in favor of freshman Corban Collins.
“Coach made his decision to sit me out for a little bit, catch my breath,” Hickey said. “I just kept pushing them on the sideline. You got to have faith in your team.”
Then, with the Tide still up double-digits with under three minutes left, Jones turned to the Hopkinsville, Ky., native, who immediately stole an inbounds pass to help facilitate a 10-0 run to close regulation and send the game into its first overtime.
Assisted by junior guard Andre Stringer’s first 3-pointer of the game and an O’Bryant layup, the Tigers found themselves tied with the Tide once again as Releford launched a potential game-winning jumper.
It missed, but sophomore Rodney Cooper was there to put it back, seemingly winning the game and sending the Tide into celebration near center court.
“My face just dropped,” Carmouche said. “I just thanked God at that point when they waved it off.”
His prayers were answered, officials discounted the shot, and the Tigers went on to outscore the Tide in the third extra period.
Carmouche, who played a game-high 54 minutes and fouled out in the waning seconds of the third overtime, didn’t try to hide his fatigue after walking into postgame interviews, repeating incredulously the exhausting number.
There, as he spoke again for the entire team, he still had enough energy to muster one agreed upon sentiment.
“It’s always fun winning,” he said.
