So much for an encouraging win.
Just three days after dispatching a talented and savvy Southeastern team by 17, common sense had LSU blowing out lowly Nicholls State (3-9) Thursday.
Apparently, LSU didn’t get the message.
The Tigers (7-2) needed a gutty late three pointer from senior forward Tasmin Mitchell and a crucial free throw from sophomore forward Storm Warren to edge the Colonels, 63-60, in the PMAC.
“Obviously, we were fortunate to win,” said LSU coach Trent Johnson.
Fortunate indeed. Despite arguably Mitchell’s best performance yet and Warren’s seventh double double of the year, Nicholls never went away like Southeastern Louisiana and Louisiana-Lafayette did.
After sprinting out to a 31-27 halftime lead, the Colonels withstood Mitchell’s and junior guard Bo Spencer’s second half outbursts to keep pace. LSU never led by more than four in the second period.
After a layup by Colonel junior forward Anatoly Bose with with 1:25 left in the game, Nicholls found itself winning by a point.
LSU shook off any shock from the lead change, with Warren banging in two free throws to put the Tigers back up by one with 1:02 to play. Bose struck again, though. After Warren’s free throws, Bose, who scored a team-high 24 points, lofted a jumper from nearly behind the goal that trickled in, giving the Colonels another one-point lead with under a minute to play.
LSU’s “best player” would not be thwarted. Mitchell clanged home a three on the next possession to give LSU the lead for good, 62-60. After a missed three-pointer from Colonel guard Chris Iles, Warren was fouled and stepped to the free throw line with a chance to ice the game.
He only hit one. Yet, it proved to be critical.
“If he made the first and missed the second, everyone would pick up their man at halfcourt and force them to drive because a two can’t beat you,” Johnson said. “We were really good defensively right there.”
Mitchell did it all Thursday — rebound, score and shoot three pointers. The Denham Springs native shot 11-14 from the field and a perfect 3-3 beyond the arc. Couple that with six rebounds and call it a complete performance.
“Our best player [Mitchell] put us on his back,” Johnson said. “Tonight, he was in a good rhythm. I thought Taz made every crucial plays for us throughout the game.”
Johnson pointed to sloppy ballhandling and simple execution as the reasons for the Tigers’ struggles.
“It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure this stuff out,” Johnson said. “It’s real subtle, but it’s real hard to do. Our inability to pass and catch is gone right now.”- – – -Contact Chris Branch at [email protected]