The Missouri Tigers survived a primary half onslaught from LSU and took management of the sport within the last stanza.
Missouri responded to a dominant first half from LSU with a livid second half push of its personal, permitting the Tigers to assert an 81-76 win in Baton Rouge on Wednesday.
This was Mizzou’s first ever win on the street in opposition to LSU, and the victory made this the very best season the Missouri program has had since 2013-14.
“We were down for 36 minutes of that game, and we were able to edge out a victory,” Dennis Gates mentioned. “It’s magical, it’s March, it’s madness, all in the same breath. Happy first of the month.”
The Bayou Bengals entered this recreation capturing at a 33% clip on common from 3-point land. They shot 50% on the night time, as all the stars appeared to align for the Bayou Bengals’ final dwelling recreation.
But after watching LSU shoot the lights out within the first half, Missouri (22-8, 10-7) responded within the second half. The visiting Tigers shot 51.5% from the ground and scored 13 factors off of 10 LSU turnovers within the last half.
D’Moi Hodge and DeAndre Gholston starred tonight. They mixed for 43 factors and knocked down numerous powerful jumpers, whereas Noah Carter added on 13 factors and 7 rebounds.
Trailing 47-34 at halftime and having confronted a 19-point deficit within the first half, Missouri got here out swinging within the second. They opened on an 11-2 run behind six factors from Gholston, and so they compelled LSU into seven turnovers within the first three minutes. The early second half surge was paying homage to the Georgia recreation on Saturday.
“He’s [Gholston] big time, that’s what he does,” Dennis Gates mentioned. “I truly believe that’s who he is. An aggressive player on the offensive end.”
Hodge continued to make a significant influence on the defensive finish. He hounded the LSU guards and recorded 5 steals on the night time, breaking the Missouri file for steals in a single season. In the second half, his effort in that regard sparked the remainder of the group.
“I knew, in my heart, that for us to be successful, we need a player on the All-Defensive Team,” Gates mentioned. “I truly belive D’Moi is that person.”
LSU (13-17, 2-15) claimed a 57-48 lead on the 14:08 mark, however a 12-2 run for Mizzou tied the sport. Hodge closed the scoring run with two 3-pointers, as he continued to steer the group from each ends of the ground.
The Tiger groups traded buckets over the subsequent couple of minutes, with KJ Williams actually taking on on the offensive finish for the Bayou Bengals. He completed with a game-high 24 factors.
Mizzou failed to attain for two:22, and LSU took benefit by claiming a 72-66 lead on the 5:39 mark.
Then, Missouri rallied to assert its first lead of the sport with 1:37 remaining, shifting the momentum for good.
LSU had the ball with 36 seconds left, trailing 77-74. Fittingly, Missouri recorded its last steal of the night time off of a mistake by Adam Miller, and Sean East II hit a pair of free throws to successfully ice recreation.
The begin of this one set the tone for the intriguing recreation that was to observe.
LSU walk-on senior Parker Edwards had performed only one minute this season previous to Wednesday night time. He acquired the beginning in opposition to Mizzou as part of the senior night time festivities, and Edwards’ shocking pair of early 3-pointers appeared to set the tone of the primary half of this recreation.
As a group, the Bayou Bengals shot 7-for-10 from behind the arc to begin this recreation, and a usually stagnant offense appeared to catch hearth in opposition to Missouri early on.
Aidan Shaw minimize the LSU result in 18-14 with a 3-pointer on the 11:18 mark of the primary half, however Mizzou was by no means in a position to minimize the result in lower than that within the opening half. The perimeter photographs continued to fall for LSU, and for seemingly the primary time this season, Mizzou couldn’t sustain in a observe meet.
LSU led Missouri 47-34 at halftime, and the visiting (black & gold) Tigers shot a paltry 33.3% from behind the arc in comparison with the house group’s scorching 73.3%. That was the one evident statistical distinction between these two groups on the break, as Mizzou matched LSU in each different aspect of the sport.
Despite coming into this recreation as a less-than-stellar capturing group, the Bayou Bengals acquired loads of open appears within the first half, and so they made Mizzou pay for its sloppy protection.
Williams and Adam Miller mixed for 29 factors within the opening interval, with each of them capturing above their typical 3-point capturing averages.
The Tigers will have a good time their very own Senior Day and shut the common season with a house recreation in opposition to Ole Miss (11-19, 3-14) on Saturday. Missouri beat the Rebels 89-77 on Jan. 24 in Oxford. The recreation could be seen on the SEC Network at 2:30 p.m. CST.
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