The Tigers fell short on two objectives Thursday. The LSU men’s basketball team and senior forward Tasmin Mitchell suffered a double dose of disappointment Thursday in a 59-49 loss to Tennessee in the first round of the Southeastern Conference tournament. The defeat ends the Tigers’ season. “I thought for the most part we were in a position where we could have came out with a win,” LSU coach Trent Johnson said in his postgame radio interview. “I thought, for the most part, like I said, we had an opportunity if we make a basket here or there, we’re in a position that we can go down the stretch and probably pull this thing out.” Mitchell also fell short in the game. The Denham Springs native needed 21 points to become the third Tiger in school history to eclipse the 2,000 point mark. He only managed 10 points and eight rebounds. “His career has been unbelievable,” LSU assistant coach Keith Richard said in his postgame radio interview. “We wish that he didn’t have to endure so many losses this year.But this year can also be a great experience for Tasmin showing the cards aren’t always dealt your way. He’ll grow from this. He played a lot of minutes.” Mitchell said after the game he has no qualms about returning to LSU for his senior season. “I don’t regret at all coming back,” Mitchell said. “I wouldn’t change the decision for the world. I think I grew as a man and a player. I wear my purple and gold proud.” LSU sophomore forward Storm Warren was the only bright spot for the Tigers. Warren scored 18 points on 9-of-13 field goal attempts with six rebounds. Junior guard Bo Spencer, the Tigers’ second leading scorer behind Mitchell, could only put up five points.Freshman forward Eddie Ludwig also contributed eight points.Volunteer senior forward Wayne Chism led Tennessee with 17 points and 10 rebounds, junior guard Bobby Maze scored 14 points, and senior forward J.P. Prince contributed 11 points in the win. “I don’t want to take anything away from Tennessee,” Johnson said. “They’re long and athletic, a good basketball team. Very similar type game to the one we played them in Baton Rouge.” LSU had its chances. The Tigers had a lead as big as seven in a back and forth first half. The teams went to a 21-all tie at the break. But the Tigers couldn’t keep up. A Volunteer 8-0 run essentially iced the game for Tennessee. The run gave Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl’s squad a 38-30 lead. LSU wouldn’t lead again.  “We can run up and down with any team in this league, but we sort of lost momentum and we couldn’t get it back,” Johnson said. “So when that happened, it took the wind out of our sails.” LSU’s defense was stellar for the second straight contest. The Tigers have allowed fewer than 60 points three times in their last five games. The Volunteers shot a meager 36.5 percent from the field and 4-of-23 from distance, good for 17.4 percent. “You know, Tennessee is not a great shooting team,” Mitchell said. “The zone was working. I feel like we played it OK, but we just didn’t grasp it at the end of the game when we could have captured the game.”Both Johnson and Richard were proud of the Tigers’ effort. “There were a couple of key possessions where they hurt us on the glass, but I can’t fault our effort,” Johnson said. “I can’t fault our execution.” The Tigers can now look ahead to next season, with a top-15 recruiting class coming to Baton Rouge. Junior forward Malcolm White will also be eligible to play next fall. “Well, the future’s bright,” Johnson said. “Make no mistake about it. Everything has happened this year was — I don’t want to say it was expected to the degree it was, but the responsibility sits up here. My history dictates I’ll get it correct. Believe me.”
 
 
 
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