The LSU basketball team defeated Houston 80-77 on Wednesday night in the PMAC behind a career high 26 points and 16 rebounds from senior forward Aaron Epps. 
“It was a total team effort, but obviously Epps led the way,” LSU coach Will Wade said.
Epps shot 8-of-12 from the field and 8-of-9 from the free throw line. His first points of the game came from a three point shot in a play that Wade says he was unsure about running in the first place. 
“When I hit my first shot,” Epps said, “I was like, ‘I’m feeling really good.'”
“[Epps is] a talented, talented player,” Wade said. “He’s worked so hard and he deserves to have a really good senior year. He has it in him. He just needed a confidence boost.”
Epps previous career high was 17 points and 13 rebounds. 
Freshman guard Tremont Waters put up 17 points in the win and sophomore guard Skylar Mays added another 18 points and nine rebounds. 
LSU (6-2) out rebounded Houston (8-2) 38-33, but the crucial offensive rebound with just under a minute from Epps set the tone. 
“[Epps] did a good job at practice working on [rebounds] and it just translated over to the game,” Waters said. “He was able to get the loose ball at the end and the and-1 and that sparked the fire.” 
Elevens of Epps’ rebounds came in the second half for LSU and the Tigers scored 19 second chance points. 
LSU outscored Houston 38-18 in the paint and for most of the game, went toe-to-toe with the largest lead being 11 by LSU early in the first half. 
“We won the game on toughness,” Wade said. “We were really gritty down the stretch and [Houston] is one of the toughest teams in the country.”
“I tell our guys, ‘preparation breeds confidence and confidence builds toughness,'” Wade said. “We have to prepare the right way so we’re confident and when we’re confident we’ll play tough. I think we played a little bit tougher because we had that mindset.” 
Waters sealed the win for LSU with a block on what would have been a three point shot as the clock ran out. 
“I had just turned the ball over so I knew I had to make a big-time play,” Waters said. “I just knew he was going to shoot the ball so I had to contest it which I didn’t do all game. Winners make winning plays.” 
LSU returns to the PMAC at noon on Saturday to take on Stephen F. Austin.

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Whitney Williston

LSU senior forward Aaron Epps (21) dunks on top of defender Breaon Brady (24) during the Tigers' 80-77 victory against the Houston Cougars on Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2017, in the PMAC.