The No. 23 LSU men’s basketball team has only played two meaningful contests, but the young Tigers might be finding their groove earlier than expected.
Freshman forward Ben Simmons notched 22 points on 11-of-17 shooting to match nine rebounds and six assists, while senior guard Josh Gray returned to the rotation with 16 points, six rebounds and six assists as the Tigers (2-0) dominated Kennesaw State, 91-69, on Monday night at the PMAC.
After putting up only seven shots in LSU’s season-opening win against McNeese State, Simmons attacked the basket from the opening tip, pouring in 14 points on 7-of-11 shooting in the first half alone.
“I was just staying aggressive and trying to keep the momentum up,” Simmons said. “I realized I only took seven shots last game, and I was kind of shocked about that. I didn’t really need to because [freshmen guards] Antonio [Blakeney] and Brandon [Sampson] were making shots. I just have to do what I have to do and play my role.” 
With the rookie Australian pacing the Tigers early, active hands and efficiency in transition from the his teammates started to wear on the Owls (0-2). 
After a competitive first eight minutes of play, during which LSU led by just one at the 11:54 mark, the Tigers’ athleticism and depth took over. LSU finished the first half on a 28-6 run with seven different offensive contributors, including a highlight-reel alley oop from Simmons to junior guard Tim Quarterman.
The Tigers headed into halftime with 10 steals, five blocks while assisting on 10-of-17 made baskets. On top of that, LSU turned the ball over just twice in the first 20 minutes. 
“As the game went on, we were able to wear them down a little bit,” Jones said. “Our guys did a good job of executing, making plays. We took care of the basketball tonight and had several assists. I thought our scoring was balanced again.” 
In the second half, it was more of the same as the Tigers extended their lead to as many as 29 points while finishing the game with a 50 percent clip from the field. 
But the story of the game was Gray, who did it all for the Tigers after serving a one-game suspension for a violation of NCAA rules. In 22 minutes off the bench, the Lake Charles, Louisiana, native shot 6-of-11 from the field and tallied three steals.
Gray scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half, including a 2-of-3 clip from three-point territory. 
“All I want to do is win, so I do pretty much anything I can,” Gray said. ” I just try to bring everything I know I can bring to the table and apply it to my game.”
Kennesaw State junior guard Kendrick Ray led all scorers with 25 points on 7-of-17 shooting, most of which coming in the second half. But the key for the Tigers defensively was shutting down Owl senior guard Yonel Brown, who recorded 34 points and 10 rebounds in Kennesaw State’s opener against Alabama.
LSU limited a foul-ridden Brown to just 11 points on 4-for-14 shooting, including four turnovers. 
“We just stayed aggressive, and we weren’t worried about who was getting in foul trouble,” Simmons said. “Josh, Tim, [sophomore guard] Jalyn [Patterson] and Antonio put pressure on the ball, [which] helped a lot the whole game.”