LSU men’s basketball played fast and physically in a hard-fought 85-75 defensive victory over Florida State, moving to 5-0 at home for the first time in two years.
After a first half filled with poor shooting, turnovers and defense, LSU came out in the second half wanting to fix that.
“I heard some of the fans yelling at me to pass the ball and move the ball, but it’s the way that Florida State plays,” Tigers head coach Matt McMahon said. “They switch every single screen. You can’t run set plays against them, and so you need to get into matchups and then attack off the bounce when you feel like you have a favorable matchup.”
LSU only scored 32 first-half points while shooting 35.3% from the field and 21.4% from three. With forward Jalen Reed going down with a knee sprain, it wasn’t looking positive. But in the second half, it was a different story.
The Tigers shot 57.1% from the field and 46.2% from the three-point line, scoring 53 points in the second half.
“We never just prepare on game day or the day before,” Jordan Sears said. “It’s the whole week we prepare. We lock in, watch film and it’s just a credit to our working and our coaches as well, giving us a game plan and executing.”
Cam Carter led the team in scoring with 26 points, 16 of which came in the second half. He also added seven rebounds, two assists and two steals, but it was Sears and Vyctorius Miller who came alive.
Sears entered the second half with only six points while shooting 22% from the field. Miller’s performance was no different, as he shot 1-6 and only had two points. However, things started to click for both of them, as they combined for 28 points in the second half.
Sears finished the night with 21 points and six rebounds and shot 40% from three, while Miller finished with 15 points, three rebounds, two assists and two blocks.
Sears once again shows why he was a top-10 scorer in the nation a year ago, and Miller once again comes alive when his team needs him off the bench. 
It now makes six straight games for the freshman where he has scored in double digits.
“I love his creativity,” McMahon said. “He can get to his spots, he noticed the high release on his shot and he’s able to raise up and shoot over even bigger defenders. And I want him playing with unlimited confidence out on the floor.”
A stat that popped out on paper was free throws. LSU only took seven attempts in the first half, but in the second half, the Tigers shot 22 times from the charity stripe and made 15 of them.
On a night when they struggled to score in the first half, getting to the free-throw line is the easiest way to get back in rhythm. Sears, Miller and Carter took six free throws in the second half and were the top three scorers against the Seminoles.
As the clock hit zeroes and the buzzer sounded, McMahon approached the student section, donning a gray suit and purple tie. 
McMahon has worn a suit for all five of LSU’s home games to start the 2024 campaign in honor of Larry Suiter, a mentor he had while coaching at Murray State for over a decade.
After each victory at the PMAC, McMahon walked to the student section to personally thank the students who stayed for coming out and cheering on the purple and gold.
“We need the students in here,” McMahon said. “This arena gets loud when you get people in here, and our guys are really working their tails off. I think we have a really connected group, which allows us to keep getting better as a team, and it makes a difference when that endzone gets full.”
For months, McMahon has been building a relationship with Tiger fans, specifically LSU students.
The team was heavily involved in the Baton Rouge community all summer. McMahon, his coaching staff and senior guard Trace Young even offered students go-kart rides to class during the unbearable late September Louisiana heat.
“We’ve tried to be very intentional: getting out on campus, going to different events and trying to get the students in the building, and we’ll continue those efforts moving forward,” McMahon said.
Tuesday night’s matchup was a perfect storm: a nationally televised game on SEC Network brought out the best of the Bayou Bengal believers. It was the largest crowd LSU men’s basketball has had this season.
McMahon understands the advantage of having a great home atmosphere. He’s doing everything he can to get LSU students to pack the PMAC, and it’s safe to say that the fans are responding.
The Tigers will look to stay undefeated at home when they host Florida Gulf Coast at the PMAC on Sunday afternoon.