Alabama senior guard Retin Obasohan has LSU’s number.
After suffering a two-point defeat at the hands of the Tigers on Jan. 23 in Coleman Coliseum, a game in which he tallied 20 points, five rebounds and four assists while shooting perfectly from behind the arc, Obasohan came to LSU with a vengeance.
Obasohan had a career night against LSU (16-10, 9-4 Southeastern Conference) on Wednesday in the PMAC, pouring in 35 points, four rebounds and three assists, to secure a Crimson Tide (16-9, 7-6 SEC) victory, 76-69.
“Obasohan made big plays,” said LSU coach Johnny Jones. “I don’t think we did a great job, as a team or as individuals, stepping up and accepting the challenge, making sure you get the stops against a very good, solid basketball player.”
While LSU didn’t have an answer on defense for Obasohan, neither did Alabama for LSU sophomore forward Craig Victor II, who answered with a career-best 21 points of his own.
Victor got going early on, scoring six of the Tigers’ first eight points.
The big man out of New Orleans preyed on Alabama freshman forward Jimmie Taylor in the first half, spearheading LSU’s efforts with 14 points on 5-for-8 shooting and four rebounds. He picked up just one foul in the first half.
LSU controlled the scoreboard for 13:57 of the first half as senior guard Keith Hornsby joined Victor scoring double digits after nailing two shots from downtown and two more from the field, giving the Tigers a 36-31 halftime lead.
While LSU held the lead, Obasohan and sophomore guard Justin Coleman, who hit three three-pointers in the half, kept the Crimson Tide in striking distance.
Alabama came out firing in the second half, converting five of its first six three-pointers to take a 51-48 lead with 13:41 remaining.
“We knew that they had shooters,” Hornsby said. “But really their main ones didn’t hurt us as much tonight. [Sophomore forward Riley Norris] had an off-shooting night. It was Coleman, he was a 25 percent three-point shooter coming in, I think. That’s telling that everybody can play.”
Victor played 15 second-half minutes but only added seven points as his aggressiveness was limited with foul trouble, but the stalemate continued throughout the remainder of the second half.
However, Obasohan emerged as the difference maker with 23 second-half points, while Coleman finished the game with a 5-for-8 clip from behind the arc and 21 points.
LSU’s comeback never materialized as it missed 12 second-half free throws to finish with 57.1 percent on the night.
Simmons scored 12 in the second half for a total of 20 points, adding 10 rebounds, but it was overshadowed by his 10-of-19 clip from the free throw line, eight of which rimmed out in the second half alone.
“I was trying to get to the line,” Simmons said. “I wasn’t able to convert all of my free throws, but the [referees] were calling fouls so I was just going after it … It just was one of those nights.”
Hornsby finished with 18 points, but junior guard Tim Quarterman and freshman guard Antonio Blakeney contributed only eight combined on 3-of-16 shooting out of the starting lineup.
Simmons said ultimately it was the poor shooting from the free throw line that decided the game.
“We’re perfectly capable of making those free throws,” Hornsby added. “It’s good that we’re getting to the line as much as we are, we just have to make them. That can make or break the game for you.”
Simmons returned to the court after the postgame news conference to practice his free throws in preparation for LSU’s upcoming road games against Tennessee and Arkansas.
You can reach Jacob Hamilton on Twitter @jac0b_hamilt0n