Johnny Jones’ team, littered with both freshmen phenoms and seasoned veterans, has taken gut punches in the last month.
The punches began with a drubbing to open Southeastern Conference play against Tennessee in the PMAC, followed by a Marshall Henderson assault at Ole Miss that stole a road victory that at one point seemed assured for Jones’ Tigers.
But Tuesday when Missouri stormed out of the locker room after halftime on a 12-5 run to take a four point lead, Jones sensed calm.
He called for a timeout and instructed his team to concentrate on low post touches instead of settling for 3-pointers as LSU did 17 times in the first half.
The result was a bullish inside display to the tune of a plus-five margin on the glass and eight blocks, leading to a 77-71 victory for LSU in the PMAC.
“[Missouri] was really trying to clamp down inside,” Jones said. “I thought we did a much better job [in the second half] of being aggressive at the basket … Guys were able to relax when they did catch it out on the perimeter.”
Senior guard Shavon Coleman poured in 19 points to pace a balanced LSU offense that had four players score in double figures.
Coleman, who has shuffled around in the lineup and doesn’t have an explicit role on the floor, buried three corner 3-pointers in the first half after glaring inconsistencies behind the arc plagued him in SEC play.
“Coach tells me to keep shooting, don’t stop shooting just because I miss,” Coleman said. “Whatever my team needs from me, I’m going to do. Whether it’s scoring, defending or rebounding, I’m a team player.”
Forwards Johnny O’Bryant III and Jordan Mickey combined for 30 points inside, while Mickey tied his career high with 13 rebounds — ten of which came in the first half.
LSU trailed only once in the first 20 minutes after Missouri guard Jabari Brown knocked down one of his five 3-pointers to give his team a 29-26 lead with 5:25 to go.
From there, Mickey scored six of the next 12 LSU points as it rattled off a 12-4 run to close the half and bring a 38-33 lead into the locker room.
When Missouri responded with the run to open the second half, O’Bryant said the huddle focused on tempo and rhythm.
“We just wanted to attack them,” O’Bryant said. “Hopefully get to the free throw line, get some and-one’s, just execute whatever coach called.”
With LSU up three at the 13:22 mark, the Tigers heeded the attack mantra. Mickey swatted away consecutive shots from Missouri guards Jordan Clarkson and Tony Criswell in a frenzied exchange under the basket to the delight of the 8,411 fans in the building.
After LSU took a one point lead with 3:17 left thanks to two Mickey free throws, it was he and Coleman who effectively sealed the contest.
O’Bryant passed out of a double team to find Mickey for an easy layup on LSU’s next possession.
Freshman guard Tim Quarterman then poked the ball away from Criswell on the ensuing Missouri possession and Coleman drew the contact for a layup and a foul, giving LSU a five point lead with 1:18 to go.
Junior guard Anthony Hickey knocked down four free throws in the final minute to thwart any comeback from Missouri.
Almost fitting, it was a night when a noticeably more mature freshman meshed with a journeyman senior to ensure victory. Something Jones said has been brewing within Mickey and Coleman and throughout the team after the failures.
“I told them in the locker room that this is a great sign of our team really growing right before our eyes,” Jones said. “All they’ve got to do is keep grinding, playing hard and some great things can happened for us.”

Gallery • 13 Photos

Taylor Balkom

LSU freshman guard Tim Quarterman (55) and forward Jordan Mickey (25) defend a Missouri shot Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2014, during LSU's 77-71 win against Mizzou in the PMAC.