LSU coach Johnny Jones didn’t prioritize winning or losing, but he sure didn’t mind LSU’s 113-80 win against the NAIA’s Reinhardt (4-1).
“Glad we had an opportunity to get back on the floor,” the coach said. “And have an exhibition game here at home in preparation for our season.”
In his first regulated game in an LSU uniform, LSU forward Duop Reath, shined. A junior transfer from Lee College, Reath totaled 26 points — 20 of which came in the first half — 13 rebounds and four blocks in a double-double effort during LSU’s 33-point win on 46-of-78 shooting from the field.
“He did good,” sophomore sharpshooter Antonio Blakeney said.
“People had an opportunity to see tonight to see what we’ve talked about,” Jones said of Reath. “That’s something that we missed last year — his energy. The way he played on both ends of the floor.”
Reinhardt couldn’t stop the far bigger and more skilled Tigers, but the in-game experience was most important to Jones, who is entering his fifth season as coach.
Jones and LSU’s players said the LSU defense wasn’t where it should be.
Reinhardt, which averaged 87.9 points per game prior to Monday, posted 80 points on 71 shot attempts against LSU’s defense and played all players available on its roster.
“We’ve got to continue to do a much better job on the defensive end of the floor,” Jones said.
“Main thing is we’ve got to worry about our defense,” Blakeney said. “No offense to their team, but giving up 80 is not good for us.”
Guards Jalyn Patterson and Branden Jenkins, along with forward Craig Victor and center Elbert Robinson, did not play in Monday’s exhibition.
Victor “violated team rules,” Jones said last week, and Jenkins is out until around Christmas, after a torn meniscus required surgery in early September.
As for Patterson and Robinson, two players who continuously battled injuries last season, Jones said they’ll be ready for Saturday’s season-opener amid injury recovery.
“Jalyn for sure,” Jones said. “And I think Elbert will be back in uniform for us.”
Senior forward Brian Bridgewater wasn’t supposed to play Monday, either, yet Jones put him in the game.
“We’re hopeful that everything is OK with him,” Jones said. “We wanted to give him a little more time to recover from injuries, but I stuck him in there in the last five minutes to give him some type of game situation.”
Sophomore guards Antonio Blakeney and Brandon Sampson, along with freshman point guard Skylar Mays, started for LSU’s backcourt in the friendly on Monday.
Blakeney, LSU’s starting shooting guard from last season, tallied 17 points, nine assists and four rebounds.
Mays, a true freshman from Baton Rouge, flirted with a triple-double in 26 minutes of play, but finished with 15 points, eight assists and eight rebounds. Sampson finished shooting 8-for-9 from the field, adding 19 points and hit a perfect 3-for-3 clip from 3-point territory.
Up next: LSU officially opens its season Saturday against Wofford at 1 p.m. in the PMAC. The season-opener will be televised on SECNetwork.