(LSU ATHLETICS PRESS RELEASE) –
The LSU Tigers made it three straight wins and put themselves into a second-place tie in the Southeastern Conference with a convincing 104-80 win over Auburn Saturday afternoon in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
The Tigers are now 14-6 overall and 9-4 in the SEC, tied with Arkansas (The Razorbacks did not play because of a postponement of their game with Texas A&M).).
It was an offensive showcase for the Tigers who shot over 50 percent for the third straight game as well at 59.4 percent (39-of-73). LSU made 11 threes (the sixth time this season LSU was in double figures from the arc) and was 15-of-22 at the free throw line. Auburn was held to 37 percent (27-of-73) with seven treys and 19-of-22 at the line.
Cameron Thomas finished with 27 points with three treys and 10-of-11 at the line, while Trendon Watford was back on his game with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Darius Days hit four treys with 17 points and Javonte Smart had 16 points and six assists. Josh LeBlanc Sr., had his first LSU double double, playing 22 minutes off the bench, scoring 12 points to go with 10 rebounds. He was 6-of-6 from the field.
Smart was +32 in the +/- category, while LeBlanc was +26 and Hyatt +24.
Freshman Sharife Cooper led Auburn with 26 points, while Allen Flanigan had 13 points and JT Thor getting 10.
Auburn jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead as it took LSU some 90 seconds to get going before Thomas hit his first three-pointer. But then the LSU offensive got cranked up going a 13-0 run that would put LSU up, 18-10, with 14:56 to play. LSU’s defensive play was leading to offensive buckets and the run extended to 21-4 to push the LSU lead to 26-14.
LSU would lead 50-34 at the intermission.
In the second half, LSU continued to push the offensive pace, building as much as a 28-point advantage with less than four minutes to play.
It was the fourth time in the Will Wade era that the Tigers scored over 100 points and the first time LSU scored over 100 in an SEC game since March of 1994 when the Tigers lost 108-105 in overtime at home against Arkansas.
The last time LSU scored 100 and won in regulation in an SEC game was in February 1992 against Ole Miss, 100-69.
LSU has won 18 consecutive games when scoring 100 or more dating back to that Arkansas game in 1994.
LSU finished the game with 50 points in the paint to 38 for Auburn with a 25-13 advantage on fast break points. All 12 players that dressed saw action in the game with nine players scoring.
The Tigers are on the road for two games next week starting on Tuesday night at 6 p.m. CT at Georgia. Next Saturday, LSU is scheduled to play at Arkansas. LSU’s next scheduled home game is March 2 against Vanderbilt.
