Saturday night was one for the record books, unfortunately.
The LSU men’s basketball team fell victim to Alabama (13-7, 5-1), 70-46, Saturday, in its fourth-consecutive loss.
The loss also marked the first time in school history the Tigers (10-11, 2-4) have lost four straight games by more than 20 points.
LSU neared the mark in 1999 when it lost two consecutive games and three out of four by more than 20 points. The only loss by less than 20 during that streak was a 16-point defeat.
The main vice for the current squad, though, has been a lack of production on the offensive side. The Tigers shot 37.8 percent from the floor, Saturday, and 26.7 percent from 3-point range.
“When we miss all our shots, it puts a lot of pressure on us because we can’t stop people who are in front of us,” said LSU coach Trent Johnson in a post-game radio interview. “The difference in the game was on the glass. They were physical.”
The first half was a seesaw battle, with Alabama claiming a 29-22 advantage at the break.
LSU (10-11, 2-4) came out firing in the second half, going on a 7-2 run to cut the lead to 32-29.
But after that opening run, the Tide went on to outscore the Tigers, 38-17, in the final 17 minutes to close out the victory.
“I think we were only down by three at one point, but things started getting physical,” said freshman forward Matt Derenbecker in a news release. “The ball started bouncing their way, and we weren’t hustling like we should have been. We were never able to recoup after they came out and hit us in the mouth.”
Alabama’s defense came into the game ranked sixth in the country, surrendering just 57.3 points per game.
The Tide also outrebounded the Tigers, 43-24.
But Johnson wasn’t overly impressed with what he saw.
“[Alabama’s defense is] probably one of the better teams in this league, but certainly not one of the best teams I’ve seen personally,” Johnson said.
The lone bright spot for LSU was the return of freshman guard Ralston Turner. Saturday’s game was Turner’s first action in Southeastern Conference play and his first game time since Jan. 2 when he suffered a foot injury.
He played 20 minutes, scored four points and grabbed two rebounds.
“I actually played a game here once in high school, and I had a lot of family here tonight,” said Turner, a Muscle Shoals, Ala., native. “It was very familiar, but obviously the game didn’t end the way we wanted it to.”
LSU will now look to snap the streak Wednesday when it begins a two-game home stand against South Carolina.
Though Johnson has not been pleased with his team’s showings of late, he is optimistic about the direction his team is headed.
“We’ve got a young group,” Johnson said. “We are going to continue to fight. When we get scoring back in the paint and get healthy, we are going to make a push and surprise a few people down the stretch. Trust me when I tell you.”
 
 
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Contact Rob Landry at [email protected]