It was all smiles for Matt McMahon’s men in purple and gold Tuesday night as LSU beat South Carolina 81-67 to string together its first winning streak since December.
After Cam Carter got the Tigers back into the win column on Saturday by defeating Oklahoma with a game-winning layup, LSU went back home to protect its home court against the Gamecocks.
Right out of the gates, the offense that once looked lost and couldn’t move the ball efficiently was no longer.
The Tigers shot 31-for-62 (50%) from the field and 13-for-30 (43%) from three.
“We were strong with the basketball,” McMahon said. “We didn’t have a lot of unforced errors, only 10 turnovers, so we’re getting high-quality shots and then sharing the basketball.”
McMahon decided to make a lineup change by going with four guards and a forward rather than his traditional three guards and two forwards lineup.
“I do think the four guard lineup has really been a positive impact for us,” McMahon said. “We space the floor better, if you go over the last five games, our turnovers are way down.”
It truly was a team effort, as nine different players were able to put the ball in the hoop for the Tigers while also racking up 19 assists and 30 bench points.
Amongst those nine players, Cam Carter once again led the way. He scored 17 points while shooting 7-for-14 (50%) from the field and 3-for-7 (42%) from the 3-point line.
“So I think just getting better, and as hard as it is, just stay the course and find ways to improve as a team,” McMahon said. “I think Cam deserves a lot of credit for that. He’s played incredibly well these last two games.”
Coming off a 29-point performance and ranked No. 7 in the conference for points per game, Carter has established himself as one of the best scorers in the SEC.
Mike Williams put together his best game of the season, shooting 4-for-5 (80%) from the field and 3-for-4 (75%) from downtown in a 13-point effort. His presence off the bench could be the lift that this team needs down the stretch.
It may have been a matchup between the two worst teams in the conference, but all things considered, this is a massive victory for LSU, especially considering what’s to come down the home stretch.
The Tigers’ final five opponents will be tough– all currently ranked in the AP poll: at home versus No. 2 Florida and No. 6 Tennessee, a two-game road trip where they’ll take on No. 21 Mississippi State and No. 17 Kentucky before returning to the PMAC for the final game of the regular season against No. 7 Texas A&M.
It’s the most challenging five-game stretch that LSU will face this season; the Tigers are running right into a buzzsaw.
But after Carter pulled them out of the fire to beat Oklahoma 82-79 on the road and snap their seven-game losing streak, what do they have to lose? LSU is ready to give every team it faces down the stretch a run for their money. The Tigers are looking to build any momentum they can before they’re forced to go to Nashville for the SEC Tournament less than a month away.
Last February, the Tigers ripped off two successive victories against top-20 opponents: on the road against No. 11 South Carolina and at home versus No. 17 Kentucky. Unfortunately, it was too late for LSU.
But with five regular-season games left, five top-25 opponents remaining, and an incoming conference tournament, LSU has everything to extend this season right in front of itself.
“We’ve tried to approach this every game just a one-game season,” McMahon said. “You know, as strong as the league is, I think that’s the only pathway.”
It’s now up to the Tigers to control their destiny.
“I would say that when we put 40 minutes together, I don’t think nobody can really beat us,” Williams said. “That’s been our biggest thing the whole year, only putting one half together these last two games. We put two on together, and we’ve been rewarded. So, I feel like we can do that again on Saturday, along with execution, we should be fine.”
LSU will take its first steps down that pathway when they host the Gators at the PMAC on Saturday evening.
