If nothing else, LSU will come out of the Charleston Classic battle-tested.
In three games against Dayton, North Texas and Wake Forest, the Tigers found themselves in one-possession games in the final minute three times.
With the 86-80 overtime win over the Demon Deacons on Sunday, LSU won two of those three tight contests and lifted itself to 3-2 on the year.
In overtime, the Tigers outscored Wake Forest 14-8 to close out the win, led by sophomores Tyrell Ward and Jalen Reed, who made huge plays on both ends.
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Ward scored six of his nine points in the final frame and came up with a block, while Reed added four points and two blocks. Reed bounced back nicely from a rough game against North Texas in which he was benched, with 12 total points, 6 rebounds and 4 blocks.
LSU led by 10 at half over Wake Forest but slowed down considerably, allowing the Demon Deacons back into the game.
From there, LSU limped to a 72-72 tie at the end of regulation after Jordan Wright missed three free throws in the final minute.
The steady finish was a sign of toughness and resilience for LSU, something that’s needed as the Tigers go forward and try to bounce back from last year’s tough showing.
Although it’s concerning that LSU has struggled to maintain leads, the Charleston Classic’s tough slate has the potential to be a good learning experience.
LSU’s most reliable offensive player in the win was once again center Will Baker, who made his home in the post and totaled a game-high 23 points with eight rebounds.
He made perhaps his most impressive play of the game in overtime not by scoring, but by dishing an accurate bounce pass to a cutting Reed to take advantage of a Wake Forest double team. Reed turned that into a layup that extended LSU’s lead to three.
The match had once looked like a potential blowout, with LSU up 14 with 6:31 left in the first half.
Taking opponent quality into account, LSU had its best offensive half of the year to start out the game. The Tigers played fast and moved the ball around, forcing Wake Forest to scramble on defense.
Most importantly, though, LSU got into the paint with ease. That’s becoming a theme for the Tiger offense, and it seems likely that it’ll be the identity that emerges as the season progresses.
LSU had 24 points in the paint in the first half and also out-muscled Wake Forest on the boards, coming up with 10 offensive rebounds in the frame. When the halftime buzzer sounded, LSU held a 46-36 lead.
In the second half, that speed that was so lethal on offense became an issue for LSU. The Tigers seemed to be playing too fast, leading to poor execution and turnovers. Spells of poor decision-making may be a common issue for LSU without star transfer Jalen Cook’s services.
In addition, Wake Forest switched to a 2-3 zone on defense in the second half, which clogged up the paint and closed up the open lanes that LSU had taken advantage of before.
The Tigers struggled to find holes in that defense and didn’t make a shot from the floor until the 12:05 mark of the half. They finished with just eight points in the paint in the second half.
Because of that, Wake Forest went on a 10-0 run to open the second frame and kept its foot on the gas as the game moved to its tight finish. LSU also struggled on defense during that stretch.
Defensively, LSU’s calling card this season has been forcing tough shots inside the arc. Both North Texas and Dayton were deterred from attacking the paint by LSU and played games that were very perimeter-oriented, taking 66 3-pointers between them compared to 50 2-point shots.
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Though that approach will lead to some 3-point barrages some nights (see: Dayton), it’s likely that many college teams aren’t equipped to shoot well enough to punish LSU. The Tigers are banking that their paint defense is enough to stifle offenses.
Though LSU’s rim protection from its bigs has been surprisingly solid this season, that defensive success inside has more to do with the perimeter containment from LSU’s guards and wings. Players like Wright, Mike Williams III and Mwani Wilkinson have done good jobs of sticking to opposing players on drives and forcing contested shots.
LSU continued that success to an extent against Wake Forest, forcing 18 turnovers, something it’s been adept at all season.
However, the Tigers were prone to a few uncharacteristic individual breakdowns, allowing Wake Forest ballhandlers to blow past defenders into the lane. The Demon Deacons totaled 32 points in the paint, more than North Texas and Dayton combined, and that was crucial as they made their comeback.
Graduate transfer Carlos Stewart was frequently victimized during Wake Forest’s run in the early second half, and he was pulled with 16:35 left to go. He didn’t come back into the game, showing once again that Matt McMahon is not afraid to bench starters in crucial situations.
Overall, LSU handled adversity well in its three-game slate in Charleston. While there are some potential team weaknesses that have cropped up, the Tigers are on their way to forging a discernible team identity, something that couldn’t have been said about last year’s team.
LSU will head home to host North Florida on Nov. 24 before a marquee matchup at Syracuse on Nov. 28.
