Turnonvers riddle Tigers in loss
All season long, the LSU men’s basketball team has been so close to where coach John Brady wants it to be. There have been so many close games that LSU has not been able to pull out in the end.
There was the one-point loss to Weber State in November and the one-point loss to New Orleans in December, followed by a tough loss to Miami in the Sugar Bowl tournament. Add to those defeats a two-point loss at Alabama and three-point loss at home to Tennessee, along with a five-point loss at Vanderbilt.
Saturday’s game with No. 18 Georgia is just one more to add to the list, as the Tigers (14-13, 4-10 Southeastern Conference) dropped another heartbreaker, 55-54, to the Bulldogs (20-7, 9 5).
This one, however, may hurt for LSU more than the other games as the regular season is now down to two games, and LSU’s postseason hopes are getting thinner and thinner. Brady’s postgame comments spoke volumes of frustration.
“This is the toughest part of this job,” he said. “If [Georgia is] the 19th best team in the country (actually 18th), and they sweep Kentucky and beat Florida … we’re so close.”
LSU had its opportunities to win the game with under a minute to go. Leading 54-53, the Tigers got the ball to Ronald Dupree on the baseline and the Tigers’ leading scorer missed a forced shot with the shot clock winding down.
Then, trailing 55-54 with 14 seconds left, LSU got the ball to Dupree again and as he was trying to free up for a shot, he lost the ball out of bounds, turning the ball over to UGA.
“We had two great opportunities to win the game,” Brady said. “We get the ball in the hands of our best player in the last two possessions and we shoot a forced shot, and we turn it over.
I’d like to have been able to construct a play where we get an open lay-up. But it’s just not the case.”
Freshman Antonio Hudson scored 13 points to lead LSU. Dupree had 12 and Brad Bridgewater and Torris Bright each had 10.
UGA leading scorer Jarvis Hayes scored 14 points to lead the Bulldogs and second-leading scorer Ezra Williams scored 13.
The Tigers limited the Bulldogs to 22 points below their season average and had one of their best defensive performances of the season.
“I thought defensively that our plan was outstanding,” Brady said. “The execution of the plan was outstanding. We played excellent defense without fouling. I was proud of our team for its effort.”
The Tigers did not take any satisfaction in that they competed with one of the better teams in the league.
“That’s kind of a moral victory,” Hudson said. “But we’re not satisfied with moral victories.”
The Tigers are still one win away from a chance at the National Invitation Tournament. LSU plays host to Ole Miss Wednesday night at the PMAC before hitting the road for the season’s final game with Auburn Saturday.
Graham Thomas