By Hunt Palmer
THE STORY
Offense carried LSU to 5-0. The defense shouldered the load to 6-0.
LSU smothered Drake defensively for 40 minutes to beat the Bulldogs 71-62 on Day 1 of the Emerald Coast Classic in Florida. The Tigers blocked six shots and held Drake to just 36 percent shooting. It was a steady diet of man-to-man defense with frequent switches that Drake really never solved.
LSU maintained a comfortable lead throughout the middle of the game and used a 10-0 run to go up 16 late in the first half. The lead never crept under seven in the second half.
Three times Drake tried to pull closer late. but three times LSU came up with a big play.
The Bulldogs cut it to eight with 6:44 to play. DJ Thomas calmly buried a three to stretch it back to 11.
With 3:43 left, a Bulldog free throw made it eight again. Matt McMahon drew up a stellar set that created an empty back side for a post entry pass to Michael Nwoko. His easy layup made it 10.
Drake answered with a layup on the other side. Eight point game. Max Mackinnon knifed through the defense with a spinning lay in to make it 10 points again with 2:47 left.
Those offensive plays maintained LSU’s advantage, but it was the defensive effort that defined the game.
Drake is not nearly the team it was last season when they went 31-4 and made the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Still, it was a solid win for LSU against a better team than the five who came to the Maravich Center in November.
The Tigers will play for the tournament title against DePaul on Saturday night.
THE STATS
LSU shot 26-for-56 (46%).
Drake shot 22-for-61 (36%).
LSU was 14-for-22 on FT. Drake was 10-for-13. Again, LSU made more than its opponent shot.
LSU won paint points 40-20.
DJ Thomas: 6/14 FG, 2/6 3pt, 4/8 FT, 18 pts, 5 ast, 2 TO
Both teams had 7 turnovers.
LU led 38-24 at halftime.
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