Freshmen guards Ralston Turner and Andre Stringer provided 21 points a piece as the LSU men’s basketball team (1-0) won its home opener, 87-78, against Northwestern State (0-1) on Friday.
Turner and Stringer shot all 15 of the Tigers’ 3-pointers and buried seven of them. The Tigers were the worst 3-point shooting team in the Southeastern Conference last season.
Stringer added five assists but had six turnovers. The Demons had eight fewer turnovers and 15 more offensive rebounds than the Tigers, which contributed to Northwestern State’s 70-40 advantage in total shots.
Sophomore guard Aaron Dotson added an efficient 17 points, going 5-for-5 from the floor and 7-for-8 from the free throw line.
The Tigers shot a whopping 46 free throws and made 32 of them. Fouls were abundant at both ends of the court, as the Demons had five players with at least four fouls and the Tigers had three. Sophomore forward Eddie Ludwig was the only player to foul out.
LSU saw a 29-13 lead disappear after an 18-5 Northwestern State run in the first half. LSU regained the lead late in the half and took a 43-41 advantage into the break. The Tigers never trailed after taking a 51-50 lead in the second half.
LSU had no answer for Northwestern State senior forward Will Pratt, who finished with 29 points. His playing time was restricted after he got his fourth foul with eight minutes left in the game.
Junior forward Storm Warren’s fourth foul came with 15 minutes left in the game, severely limiting his playing time. He finished with four points in only 17 minutes of action.
Junior guard Chris Bass had five turnovers but also added five steals, one of which led to a Bass dunk.
Sophomore forward Dennis Harris did not play due to a sprained ankle.
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Contact Rowan Kavner at [email protected].