LSU Comes Up Short in 76-68 Loss to Texas Tech

Tigers battle back in the second half, but ultimately fall short in their SEC/Big 12 Challenge matchup.

It was a heavyweight battle between LSU and Texas Tech on Saturday, but the Tigers ultimately fell short in a 76-68 loss after battling back in the second half.

Head Coach Matt McMahon saw his program show significant improvement in this one, battling from start to finish against a competitive Red Raiders squad. 

Here are the quick hits from Saturday's loss: 

Adam Miller Showing Confidence

Shooters shoot. Despite Miller’s shooting numbers being rather inconsistent as of late, his confidence has never wavered. Against the Red Raiders, he put together his most complete performance of the season.

Miller knocked down 5 threes, totaling 20 points for the Tigers, to keep LSU within striking distance all afternoon. It’s easy to praise the scoring efforts Miller brings to the table, but his playmaking ability is another piece of his game that was on full display on Saturday. Though the box score may not tell the whole story, Miller’s vision was a key factor in this one.

Attacking the defense downhill to keep defenders on their toes, it opened up Miller’s three-ball against Texas Tech. Miller has been a catch and shoot threat from deep when his shots have fallen, but against the Red Raiders it was his creating ability that stood out, specifically a stepback three to give the Tigers a 46-45 lead in the second half.

Offensive Rebounding

All season long it’s been a struggle for this unit to get second chance buckets, but against Texas Tech on Saturday it was a different story. Early in the second half, LSU had already totaled 11 offensive rebounds with 14 second chance points, a piece of their game that had been nonexistent all season long.

The Tigers ended the night with 16 offensive boards in an area that showed significant improvement. The Red Raiders’ lack of size provided LSU with a greater chance of securing rebounds and they took advantage throughout all 40 minutes.

KJ Williams led the way with 9 rebounds while Derek Fountain (6) and Justice Williams (5) came up with a few of their own. Justice Williams has been a rebounding machine for the Tigers since being inserted into the starting lineup. He’s given efficient rebounds and been a beneficial piece when it comes to attacking the glass, proving it once again on Saturday.

Perimeter Defense

The Red Raiders shot the nets off in this one. An efficient 11-of-18 from three-point range (61%), it was a struggle for LSU to hold them back in this area. When it rains, it pours, and Texas Tech was flooding the arena from deep through both halves.

Led by Kevin Obanor’s three triples, where he got started early in the first half, the Red Raiders were getting it done from behind the arc. LSU’s lack of perimeter defense plagued them once again, allowing a significant number of wide open attempts.

Final Thoughts

LSU showed effort and fight on Saturday. Texas Tech has struggled this season, but for McMahon’s group to continue maintaining energy and fighting throughout all 40 minutes is a positive sign going forward.

Led by Adam Miller and KJ Williams’ combined 34 points, the two looked like the duo we’ve been waiting to see all season. Pair their offensive production with Derek Fountain and Cam Hayes’ defensive efforts and this program has the chance to continue improving game by game.

The Tigers will be back in action on Wednesday at Missouri with tipoff set for 8 p.m.