Georgia blows by LSU as Tigers fall to 2-8

Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

By Hunt Palmer

THE STORY

It didn’t feel like LSU was being blown out.

LSU was being blown out.

Georgia ripped off an 11-0 run to end the first half and led all 20 minutes of the second half in an 83-71 win over LSU Saturday night in Maravich Center. The death knell was a was an 8-0 run over 65 seconds that swelled the Georgia lead to 17 with 4:15 to play.

The Bulldogs are a bad matchup for LSU. They entered the game tops in the country in points per game. LSU struggles on defense. The Tigers’ only chance was to keep up offensively, and that becomes tougher without point guard Dedan Thomas Jr. who missed another game with his lingering foot injury.

LSU roared out of the gate, hitting 5-of-7 threes and staking a 15-point lead when PJ Carter splashed his second straight three with 9:50 to play before halftime. After that, LSU missed an unthinkable 16 straight from deep.

The lead was erased before the half and only grew.

Georgia’s atrocious free throw shooting was the only reason the game remained in the balance as long as it did. The Bulldogs only made 13 of 24 freebies for 54 percent.

It’s a tough break for LSU to have lost Thomas. But the season has lost its course at this point. The Tigers have lost four of five home league games and can’t possibly hope to make that up.