A win against the Tennessee men’s basketball team wasn’t going to solidify LSU’s case for an NCAA Tournament bid, but a loss would have jeopardized it.
The Tigers are now in jeopardy. 
After going into halftime tied, LSU struggled to match the Volunteers’ hot second-half shooting and fell flat in its home finale, 78-63, Wednesday night at the PMAC. 
“When a team gets hot like that, it’s kind of hard to beat,” said LSU sophomore guard Tim Quarterman. “When you contest their shots and they’re still hitting, there isn’t much you can do about it.”   
The loss snapped a three-game winning streak for the Tigers (21-9, 10-7 Southeastern Conference), who shot just 37.5 percent from the field in the second half compared to Tennessee’s blistering 69 percent clip. 
“[Tennessee] shooting practically 70 percent in the second half made it very difficult for us when we did not execute at the level we needed to on the offensive end,” said LSU coach Johnny Jones.
Junior guard Keith Hornsby led the Tigers with a career-high 25 points on 6-of-11 shooting from the field, and sophomore forward Jarell Martin added 16 points. But the rest of LSU’s players struggled, totaling 22 points on 30
percent shooting. 
The Volunteers  (15-14, 7-10 SEC) had four players reach double figures, led by senior guard Josh Richardson’s 20 points on 9-of-15 shooting. As a team, Tennessee shot 52 percent from the field, its highest mark in the last 12 games. 
But the Vols’ scolding second half performance astonished Jones the most. 
“I thought they spread us out and got down in the shot clock,” Jones said. “They made plays at the basket. They were extremely patient. When we did try to help, they had other guys step up and make shots They executed at an unbelievable level in the second half.” 
After entering the game on a five-game losing streak, Tennessee led by 15 when Richardson intercepted a pass and raced up the court for a transition layup, prompting a timeout from Jones with 9:02 to go.
But Tennessee junior guard Kevin Punter drained a 3-pointer while drawing a foul after the timeout, giving the Vols a 62-44 lead with 8:31 left in
regulation. 
Quarterman pulled the Tigers within 11 with a corner 3-pointer at the 3:56 mark, but Tennessee scored eight of the game’s final 12 points to wrap up the win and avenge a 73-55 thumping to LSU in the first meeting this season. 
It seemed like the Volunteers scored from everywhere in the second half, going 5-of-8 from 3-point territory and outscoring LSU 22-10 in the paint. 
It was another disappointing game after the Tigers appeared on the brink of a breakout run to end the regular season. 
LSU hasn’t won more than three consecutive games since reeling off eight in a row Nov. 29-Jan. 3. The Tigers haven’t won more than three straight SEC games this season or in Jones’ three-year tenure. 
Hornsby said he can’t pinpoint what’s been holding LSU back from making a serious push. 
“When you have another three-game winning streak and have a dip like the pattern we’ve been having all season, you can’t help but brainstorm what the real issue is,” Hornsby said. “But it’s a competitive game, and these guys are good and are going to hit shots. It’s how you respond.”  
The Tigers are now in a precarious position. 
Wednesday’s loss was LSU’s fourth this season to a team with an RPI ranking of 100 or more. With a blemish against No. 104 Tennessee now on their résumé, there is more pressure on the Tigers to perform well at No. 18 Arkansas on Saturday and in the SEC Tournament, which takes place March 11-15. 
With the end of the season drawing nearer, the Tigers know every game counts. 
“They’re all must-wins to me,” Hornsby said. 
You can reach David Gray on Twitter @dgray_TDR.