By Hunt Palmer
THE STORY: LSU kick-started the 2024-25 season with a comfortable win over ULM. Matt McMahon played nine of his 11 available players in the first six minutes of game action. Ten of the 11 players scored. ULM never drew within 20 points in the second half. As debuts against Sun Belt teams go, LSU checked all the necessary boxes.
The Tigers scored 95 points without shooting the ball well from the three point line like they did in the exhibition win over Loyola. McMahon enjoyed the Tigers’ efficiency from two point range and suggested in the postgame that LSU would shoot the ball better from deep than it did Wednesday night.
The Tigers used an 11-0 run to create a 12-point lead with 7:42 to play in the first half. After a Warhawk bucket made the advantage 10, ULM never drew closer.
Jalen Reed had his way with the Warhawk frontcourt around the rim. He finished with a team-high 24 points including 8-for-8 from the free throw line.
In all, 10 Tigers played double figure minutes, and no one topped 31 minutes. It was a thorough destruction of an overmatched team, and many of the presumed roles for this roster took shape.
Reed and Cam Carter figure to lead this team in scoring. They did. Dji Bailey figures to be an elite defender who shoots at a high percentage. He did. Jordan Sears and Curtis Givens figure to be the primary ball handers. They were. Derek Fountain figures to be a high energy player who does the dirty work. He did.
LSU returns to action Sunday when Alabama State comes to town. McMahon urged all Tiger fans to try to make it out. Every fan with a ticket to Saturday’s football game with Alabama gets into the PMAC for free. McMahon called it a big recruiting weekend. LSU’s only expected visitor is five-star and New Orleans native Chris Cenac who will be making his official visit to campus for the weekend.
THE STATS: The Tigers shot 24/33 from two point range, good for 73 percent.
LSU was 20/24 at the rim and 17/19 from the free throw line. That’s extremely efficient scoring for a team that struggled from behind the free throw line, 10/34 (29%)
Cam Carter was 4/8 from three point range
Curtis Givens was 4/9 from three point range
ULM missed 38 field goals, and LSU rebounded 31 of those for 82&%. ULM only scored three second chance points.
ULM was only able to dish out six assists against 14 turnovers that LSU turned into 23 points.
ULM only shot 3/14 from three for 21%
THE PLAYS:
Bailey produced the season’s first highlight reel play. Robert Miller III poked the ball free near the top of the key and grabbed it for a steal. He surged into the frontcourt and fed Bailey for a tomahawk jam that put LSU up 10-3.
HEY NOW DJI BAILEY 😮
SECN+ | @thed4show #BootUp pic.twitter.com/WyvBkiD8nC
— LSU Basketball (@LSUBasketball) November 7, 2024
Reed sent a jolt into the PMAC crowd when he drove the lane and took off from outside the restricted area for a thunderous dunk.
Jay-Reed with a HAMMER 🔨
SECN+ | @jayreedd pic.twitter.com/OIDXbBKws1
— LSU Basketball (@LSUBasketball) November 7, 2024
It was a tough evening for the Warhawks, but the end of the first half was a bright spot. As the clock ticked toward zero, Jalen Bolden advanced the ball into the frontcourt. He jumped, contorted his body between two Tiger defenders and launched a three from 40 feet. It splashed through as the horn sounded.
THE QUOTES: McMahon on the LSU offense…
“Offensively, I thought the ball moved. I thought we were really effective. I thought Derek Fountain gave us huge energy when he came into the game, really changed the pace of the game. I really enjoyed watching us play offensively. A few careless turnovers, and I think we’re a much better shooting team than we showed, but all in all great way to start the season.”
McMahon on the LSU defense…
“I think (ball pressure) is going to be the foundation of what we’re trying to do on that end of the floor. We really want to do a good job of defending the three point line. They made two early in the game and only made one the rest of the night. I thought we were able to force them into what we refer to as ‘non-paint twos’, contested shots off the dribble. And they made some of them. But it’s hard to win games when you have a heavy diet of those shots.”
McMahon on transfer guard Dji Bailey…
“I think we’re a better team when (Dji Bailey) is on the floor. I think he makes everyone else around him better. Six of seven from the floor, 13 points, six rebounds, two-to-one assists to turnover ratio and then elite defensive play. And that’s why we wanted to recruit him. He led the Atlantic 10 in field goal percentage a year ago. He was second in steals and is a career two-to-one assist to turnover ratio. He doesn’t make many mistakes. He’s a great teammate. If I could go back 100 years ago and still lay, I’d love to have him on my team.”
