STARKVILLE, Mississippi — Sometimes, the shots just don’t go in.
Every team hits a wall at some point during the season — when it can’t put the ball in the hoop, when simple shots such as free throws and layups become as difficult as halfcourt heaves.
The teams that overcome those poor shooting nights are the ones playing meaningful games in March.
For most of this season, the LSU men’s basketball team looked like one of those teams. But against a Mississippi State squad looking for a signature win, the Tigers couldn’t grind past an off-shooting night, and it cost them against a determined opponent Saturday.
“You have nights like that,” said LSU sophomore guard Tim Quarterman, who went 1-of-10 from the field during LSU’s 73-67 loss to the Bulldogs. “We kept fighting, kept fighting until the end. We just ended up coming up short.”
LSU (16-5, 5-3 Southeastern Conference) entered Humphrey Coliseum as the one of the SEC’s top-scoring teams, ranking in the top three in scoring (74.9 ppg), field goal percentage (45.9), scoring margin (plus-7.8 ppg) and assists (16.3).
But that pristine status didn’t help the Tigers in their match against the hungry Bulldogs (10-11, 3-5 SEC) and their spirited crowd of 6,657.
Against Mississippi State, LSU shot 37.7 percent from the field, including an alarming 29.4 percent in the first half. The Tigers’ slow start resulted in a 31-28 halftime deficit, marking the second consecutive game LSU failed to score at least 30 points in the first half.
But the Tigers responded to their sub-30-point first half against South Carolina on Wednesday by lighting up the nets with 54.5 percent shooting in the second.
While LSU did improve to a modest 45.7 percent in the second half Saturday, it wasn’t enough to leave with a fourth straight win. Quarterman couldn’t pinpoint whether it was the Bulldogs’ zone defense or the Tigers simply missing shots.
“Both,” Quarterman said. “We just had a bad shooting day — terrible shooting day — especially on my part. We just have to knock shots. No matter what the defense is, we have to knock down shots.”
The result of the Tigers’ poor shooting was a stunning loss to the SEC’s lowest-ranked RPI team (No. 185 as of Sunday) that could prove costly if LSU’s on the fence when NCAA Tournament brackets are being filled.
Despite the loss, sophomore forward Jordan Mickey delivered the game of his LSU career. The 6-foot-8-inch forward, who was taken out briefly after appearing to injure his right foot with 13:38 to go, tallied 25 points and a career-high 20 rebounds.
Mickey became the first Tiger to record at least 20 points and 20 boards in the same game since Geert Hammink did it Dec. 16, 1992. LSU coach Johnny Jones said he had a feeling a big day from his All-SEC forward was coming soon.
“It’s funny, just yesterday he said he was going to get him a 20-rebound game soon, and we were fortunate that it came today,” Jones said. “Thought he gave a great effort — in the second half early, he got a little gimpy and was hurt and we had to take him out — but he came back in and played like a warrior.”
But despite an 11-for-18 mark from the field, Mickey struggled at the free throw line. He went 3-for-10 from the charity stripe, including a miss that would have tied the game at 60-60 with 2:12 left.
Mickey missed another while trying to complete a three-point play nearly two minutes later, which could have made it a one-possession game.
But he wasn’t the only Tiger to miss. As a team, LSU went 11-for-21 from the foul line while the Bulldogs made 23 in 35 trips. LSU junior guard Keith Hornsby said the difference in game came when Mississippi State capitalized on opportunities and the Tigers didn’t.
“It’s almost something you can’t control,” Hornsby said. “If you’re getting the good shots you want, it’s just all about making them.”
But as frustrated as LSU fans were after the loss, the Tigers have shown they can rebound from defeat. LSU is 4-0 this season, following a loss. In three of those games, the Tiger shot better than 49 percent from the field.
LSU has five days to rest and get healthy before tackling a three-game, five-day stretch, with No. 1 Kentucky as the finale. Quarterman said the Tigers must turn their focus forward, not back.
“We’re going back home,” Quarterman said. “We have three games at home, so we’re trying to focus on the next game.”
You can reach David Gray on Twitter @dgray_TDR.