LSU blows by UNO, 86-70

By Hunt Palmer

THE STORY: It took LSU a little bit of time to shift out of neutral on Sunday, but when they did, the Tigers hit overdrive.

New Orleans knotted the score at 38 with 14:53 to play in the game. Over the next 10 and a half minutes, LSU (10-2) outscored the visiting Privateers 22-1 to completely seize control of the action.

When it was said and done, the Tigers were 86-70 winners in the penultimate non-conference contest of the season.

Playing in front of a sleepy Sunday crowd and against a lowly opponent, LSU wobbled out of the gate. The Tigers misfired on seven shots in a row early in the game and connected on just 2-of-16 three point attempts before halftime.

Turnovers came in bunches early, nine of them in the first 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, UNO came out swinging and drilled five of their first six field goals to open up a 12-4 lead. Unfazed and with plenty of time, LSU ground the Privateers down with physical defense and a relentless effort on the glass.

The Tigers won the backboards 50-37 and pulled down 17 offensive rebounds, six by Corey Chest who notched double-digit rebounds for the sixth consecutive game.

As has been discussed previously, this stretch of season is inconsequential for LSU. Stetson, UNO and Mississippi Valley State can’t compete with LSU for 40 minutes. It’s about developing some confidence, staying healthy and building better habits.

This one wasn’t a work of art. Jordan Sears, Dji Bailey and Cam Carter all committed multiple turnovers. UNO got to the offensive glass for 13 rebounds, though two did come in the final 20 seconds with walk ons out there.

Vyctorius Miller and Curtis Givens continue to develop. Miller paced LSU with 17 points and canned three triples. Givens followed his six-assist game against Stetson with five more, this time without a single turnover. He looks like a different player than he did this time last month.

LSU will take the week for Christmas and close out non-conference play with Mississippi Valley State on Sunday night.

THE STATS: LSU outscored UNO 56-41 in the second half.

Cam Carter (14 pts, 11 rebs) and Corey Chest (12 pts, 10 rebs) each had a double-double.

Vyctorius Miller finished with 17 points of 6-of-10 from the floor and 3-of-6 from downtown.

Givens was just 1-of-8 from three-point range. Everyone else combined to shoot 6-for-21 (29%)

LSU blocked eight shots, three by Robert Miller. UNO was just 11-of-25 on layups. LSU’s length continues to be a problem for these lower-level teams.

THE PLAYS:

Miller and Miller Associates 🤝

SECN+ | @futurefilled | @vyctorius5 pic.twitter.com/MfzvtmPvHT

— LSU Basketball (@LSUBasketball) December 22, 2024

Cam Carter From PORT ALLEN 🤑

SECN+ | @camryncarter23 pic.twitter.com/jTzpARIxQQ

— LSU Basketball (@LSUBasketball) December 22, 2024