For much of its matchup against Auburn, LSU looked like a team without answers.
Head coach Matt McMahon admitted as much before the game on Friday, a day before the 93-78 loss.
“[We’ve] studied them for several days, still can’t find any weaknesses,” McMahon said.
In order to challenge Auburn, McMahon said, LSU would have to worry less about neutralizing Auburn – an impossible task – and more about executing its own gameplan at a very high level.
That didn’t happen to start the game. Despite hanging around in the early going because of some tough shot-making, LSU found itself down 15 at the break and down 28 midway through the second half.
Then, shooting flipped the momentum, with LSU hitting four quick threes in succession, three by Tyrell Ward. That spurred a 28-8 run to cut the deficit to eight points.
During that same span, Auburn shot 1 of 7 from the 3-point line, illustrating how quickly shooting streaks can change a game.
LSU also put forth more effort and was more active than before, forcing turnovers and tough shots on defense.
McMahon turned to a different lineup configuration, benching star guard Jalen Cook and riding Trae Hannibal, Jordan Wright, Tyrell Ward and Will Baker.
Hannibal paced the team with 18 points, while Wright added 16, and Baker and Ward each contributed 12 points.
McMahon hasn’t been hesitant to sit players down in favor of the hot hand, even when it comes to his best players. That approach has spurred near comebacks against Texas and Kansas State, and it did so again on Saturday.
Still, as much fight as LSU showed, it wasn’t enough. Auburn held off LSU in the final two minutes to solidify its win.
Beating Auburn in its home arena was never going to be easy. Auburn came into the game ranked No. 16 in the AP poll and No. 4 in the KenPom rankings.
Defensively, Auburn is one of the very best, ranked No. 6 in the nation in field goal percentage allowed.
On offense, the Tigers are a nightmare of versatility. The team has a warchest of lengthy players who are willing passers and shooters; seven players on Auburn came into the game with both 20 assists and 25 3-point attempts on the season.
As a result, Auburn ranks No. 5 in the country in assist-turnover ratio.
“It’s a fun way to play,” McMahon said before the game. “That’s one of the main reasons they’re so good. You can’t just focus in on one guy or two guys.”
Ultimately, LSU’s early struggles put the game too far out of reach. LSU had very little flow on offense and was thrown off by Auburn’s on-ball pressure, a look the team has struggled with all season.
As LSU tried to inbound or bring up the ball, Auburn was all over the LSU ball handlers. Even Cook, a veteran point guard who was expected to bring level-headedness to these pressure scenarios, struggled with turnovers.
Cook had five turnovers and zero assists before checking out for good four minutes into the second half. All told, LSU committed a back-breaking 17 turnovers.
LSU has often been the aggressor this season, ranking No. 16 in the country and No. 1 in the SEC in steals per game. That wasn’t the case against Auburn.
The fight LSU showed against Auburn was impressive and encouraging. It’s become clear in the early SEC schedule that the Tigers aren’t an easy out. LSU is a much better team than it was early in the season, and certainly better than it was last year.
There’s a moral victory to be taken from the performance, especially against an Auburn team that has as good a shot as anybody of playing deep into March.
Still, LSU has mounted a handful of failed comeback attempts this season. In order to reach the upper echelon to which teams like Auburn belong, the Tigers need to learn how to finish, or how not to dig themselves into holes to begin with.
As it has all along under McMahon, that progress will be made gradually and with commitment to steady improvement.
“It’s just the next opportunity. Just trying to find a way to win, and keep getting better, keep building our team,” McMahon re-affirmed before the game against Auburn. “I know it’s a boring answer.”
LSU’s next chance to show its progress is on Wednesday as it hosts Ole Miss.
