It took a young Storm’s fifth double-double of the season to sneak the LSU men’s basketball team past a group of demons a on a dark, rainy day in Baton Rouge.
LSU sophomore forward Storm Warren finished with 21 points and 16 rebounds, leading LSU (5-2) to a 73-62 victory against Northwestern State (4-4) on Saturday night in the PMAC. LSU has now won 77 straight games against in-state competition.
Warren and senior forward Tasmin Mitchell, who finished with 24 points and eight rebounds, were the only bright spots for LSU on offense, however. No other Tiger finished in double figures.
Things were especially ugly for LSU in the first half. The Tigers shot 42.3 percent from the field in the frame and committed 12 turnovers, compared to five assists.
LSU junior guard Bo Spencer, sophomore guard Zach Kinsley and freshman guard Aaron Dotson shot a combined 0-of-10 from the floor in the first half.
“We looked a little bit out of sync,” said LSU coach Trent Johnson. “It was real obvious that when the ball didn’t go down to them that there was a sense of panic as a group, and we can’t let a bad play or a missed shot affect the way we get back and defend.”
The Demons got out to an early 3-0 lead, but Mitchell responded with five straight points to put LSU ahead, 5-3.
After a jumper by NSU senior center Aramie Brooks tied the game at five, Mitchell hit two free throws after being fouled by Demons sophomore center William Mosley to put LSU back up by one point.
But the Tigers would not lead the rest of the first half after a three-point play by NSU junior guard Dominic Knight put the Demons up, 8-7.
The closest LSU would get to NSU the rest of the half was 11-9, as the Demons led by as many as 13 on their way to a 35-29 halftime lead.
“I think we got a little complacent about who we were playing,” Mitchell said. “But we can’t do that. We’ve got to take each opponent seriously.”
Warren helped lead LSU to a 12-2 run with about 14 minutes left in the game to spark the Tigers to their first lead since early in the first half. The Monroe native scored six points in that run.
Warren sunk a layup with 14:04 in the second half to cut LSU’s deficit to 48-40. The Tigers got the ball back after a missed jumper by Brooks, and Warren followed through on a rebound off his own missed shot to cut the deficit to 48-42.
A resounding dunk by NSU sophomore guard/forward Charles Clark gave the Demons a 50-42 after Warren’s put-back. But Warren followed that with another follow-up, this time on a Spencer, to notch the score at 50-44 NSU.
LSU eventually took the lead, 52-50, on a 3-pointer by sophomore guard Zach Kinsley after a dish by Spencer. NSU junior forward Will Pratt tied at 52 on a layup, but Warren gave the advantage right back to LSU on yet another dunk and a free-throw shot.
LSU led, 55-52, after Warren’s three-point play, and the Tigers never gave the lead back.
“I think what you have to look at is three or four situations where the ball was on the floor, and we were the first one to it,” Johnson said about LSU retaking the lead. “Those are the things that we have to get to.”
Spencer, who eventually fouled out after picking up a technical foul late in the second half, finished with eight points, two assists and two turnovers after coming off the bench.
“Bo’s body language has been like that for about three days,” Johnson said when asked about Spencer’s body language after the game. “And for me, I’m not into singling out any of my players … But again, this whole thing is based off of us as a group being collectively on the same page. You guys have been around me. This is not child care. This is not daycare. Whether it’s any individual, we’ve got to work our way through it.”
True freshman forward Eddie Ludwig started for redshirt freshman forward Dennis Harris, who was out with a back injury.
LSU returns to action Monday when it faces Southeastern Louisiana (6-1) in the PMAC.
“We’ve got work to do,” Johnson said. “[Southeastern Louisiana has] got the same group that they had last year. Physically, from an athletic standpoint, and quickness, they’re better than we are.”
 
—-Contact Robert Stewart at [email protected]