With no time left, the referees head toward the scorer’s table to review the play. Many fans in purple and gold began to head toward the exits early to avoid witnessing the inevitable.
A tip in a game-winning layup by Ole Miss’ Dre Davis gives LSU its sixth consecutive loss as they fall to the Rebels 72-70.
The number that will haunt the Tigers in their dreams will be 13. That’s how many free throws LSU missed on the night.
LSU did everything it could to slow down the Rebels. The Tigers held Ole Miss under their season average in points per game, under 40% from the field and below 30% from the 3-point line.
LSU turned the heat even more in the second half, holding Ole Miss 10-for-30 (30%) from the field and 2-for-13 (15%) from three.
The Rebels’ leading scorer, Sean Pedulla, scored 17 points but shot 5-for-14 (35%) from the field.
Offensively, Cam Carter, Daimion Collins and Jordan Sears combined for 44 of the Tigers’ 70 points.
LSU handled the ball better, having only 10 turnovers on the night compared to the 14 it averages on the season.
But it was the free throw line that was the Tigers’ kryptonite.
LSU came into this game ranked No. 2 in the SEC for free throw percentage, one of the few strengths that showed throughout this season.
However, six different Tigers missed free throws tonight, giving LSU a free throw percentage of 48%.
“In a two-point game, they were plus-eight at the free throw line against us,” Tigers head coach Matt McMahon said. “We got there 25 times, but we just shot it at 48%. Not good enough to win.”
One play in particular turned out to be more costly than expected.
LSU’s Corey Chest was given a technical foul after knocking the ball out of the hands of Ole Miss’ Davis after Chest was called for a personal foul.
“Basketball is a game of mistakes, McMahon said. “There are a lot of mistakes throughout the game, and then it’s usually the team that makes the fewest mistakes puts themselves in the best position to win.”
The undisciplined play came with a little less than five minutes left to play in the game, which LSU led 63-53. It resulted in four free throws for the Rebels. They made all four.
“Four of them were free points off some of our mistakes, McMahon said. “They clearly made the fewer discipline mistakes and ended up winning the game because of it.”
But even after that play, LSU eventually led by 11 with 3:15 left.
However, the Tigers’ turnovers once again came back to haunt them. They had three turnovers in the final three minutes and did not score for the rest of the game.
Chest had an opportunity in the game’s final minute to make two free throws to potentially make a five-point game, missing both.
Ole Miss Jaemyn Brakefield knocked down a three with 45 seconds left to tie the game at 70. LSU’s last offensive possession resulted in an offensive foul on Carter, which gave the Rebels the final shot of the game.
Pedulla drove to the basket, and the shot rimmed out, but Davis was there to clean it up and give the Rebels the victory.
“It’s crushing,” McMahon said. “The only way I’ll know to move forward is to take that perspective, learn from it, come in and work on Monday and get ready to play at Arkansas Wednesday.”