It’s no secret that LSU men’s basketball has struggled on the defensive front throughout this season, but on Tuesday night, that side of the ball sold the contest against Auburn.
An electric offense showed off, putting up 74 points to Auburn’s 88. The defense was detrimental.
In a season where LSU has routinely been trounced by opponents, this defensive collapse ruined what could have been an exciting nightcap on the SEC Network.
The game began close as both teams battled it out, but it slowly crept into Auburn’s favor.
The biggest issue was LSU’s inability to possess the ball without turning it over. LSU had seven steals, two blocks and 16 turnovers. Auburn had 13 steals, five blocks and nine turnovers of its own. Even senior Max Mackinnon, who shone in LSU’s most recent victory against Ole Miss just one week prior, could not seem to maintain control.
The lack of defensive proficiency has been confusing for LSU fans all season. Head coach Matt McMahon has pushed the physical game all season, and it showed early on.
In that game, the Tigers found the free-throw line 34 times. On Tuesday versus Auburn, LSU went 19-for-26.
Against FIU, Dedan Thomas Jr., who is now out for the season, said McMahon expects the free throws to be through the roof.
“[McMahon] expects us to get to the line that much,” Thomas said in September. “That’s actually what’s on the board pre-game. He wants us to make more free throws than the other teams attempted. So we just gotta keep pushing the ball in transition and getting to the basket, getting fouls, just staying aggressive.”
The player who led the physicality in Auburn was junior forward Mike Nwoko. Of those shots from the free-throw line, four were his. The true defensive MVP for LSU once again was forward Pablo Tamba.
Tamba typically runs the game from the defensive side for LSU, but with the struggles this team has experienced this season, he has been overshadowed. He singlehandedly ran the LSU defense in the 2025-26 season, and while the rest of the team hasn’t been up to standard, he’s the reason LSU has remained in several games this season.
He just didn’t have enough help on Tuesday.
It wasn’t going to be possible for LSU to out-shoot Auburn, not at the pace these two teams were netting shots.
When the momentum turned in favor of the home team, it hurt big time as the lead grew from six to 13 points.
Nwoko stepped up, but Jalen Reece, Marquel Sutton and Tamba all put up double digits in points. Those Tigers combined for 53 of LSU’s 74 points.
Tamba, who rarely reached double-digit points, only missed a double-double by one rebound.
This loss segues to the final game of the regular season: against Texas A&M for an SEC play rematch.
The game will also serve as senior night for LSU. Tip-off will take place at 5 p.m. on Saturday in the PMAC.
