By Hunt Palmer
THE STORY: LSU hung tough against the fourth-ranked Crimson Tide on Saturday night. But the Tigers never threatened to win.
Ultimately, Alabama finished the job, 80-73, in Coleman Coliseum.
LSU hammered the backboards, led by Corey Chest. Turnovers weren’t the problem have been all season. Jordan Sears was excellent, and Trey’Dez Green came off the bench for his first collegiate action.
So much of what LSU did was positive, and that version of LSU’s team can win some games in SEC play. On the road at Alabama, you were going to need all of that and a better effort than 3-for-23 from the three-point line. If LSU had been able to even shoot a reasonable percentage from deep, the story may have been different.
It cannot be overlooked that Mark Sears, the SEC Player of the Year favorite, did not get off the Alabama bench in the second half. The television broadcast said the benching was not injury related.
Sears missed all five of his first half field goal attempts and did not score in the game.
The Tigers led by as many as five in the first half, had the game tied at halftime and were within five with 3:56 to play. For 36 minutes, the Tigers were game. Alabama’s 8-0 run from that 3:56 mark put the game out of reach.
Next up for LSU is the No. 1 ranked Auburn Tigers in the Maravich Center on Wednesday night at 6:00.
THE STATS: Corey Chest grabbed 18 rebounds, nine on offense and nine on defense.
LSU shot just 3-for-23 from three-point range. Three is the lowest number of threes made in a game for LSU this season.
Alabama only scored 11 points off 14 LSU turnovers.
Mark Sears went 0-for-5 from the floor with three assists and two turnovers. He did not play in the second half.
Jordan Sears dished out six assists.
Trey’Dez Green played his first nine minutes of the season. He hammered home a dunk and grabbed three rebounds. He also committed a bad turnover that led to an Alabama run out layup.
Alabama’s 80 point output was the second lowest SEC total for the Tide.
LSU won paint points, rebounds, seconds chance points, blocks, steals and field goals attempted.
Curtis Givens was 0-for-5 from the floor, had two turnovers without an assist, and LSU was minus-17 in his 11 minutes.
