‘We gotta stay locked in for a full 40:’ After hot start, Mizzou falls late at LSU
The Missouri Tigers did nearly everything right to start the game against No. 25 LSU.
The three-pointers consistently fell for the first time in weeks. The offense looked aggressive, MU efficiently scoring baskets near the rim. But most importantly, Mizzou was dominating the rebounding margin — an area coach Cuonzo Martin stresses.
But in what’s been a major weakness for Mizzou, its foul-heavy defense proved problematic. LSU went to the free throw line often when MU had a chance to run away with the game.
After the foul trouble, missed shots and uncollected rebounds, LSU made the deciding run in the final few minutes of the second half, winning 82-78 on Tuesday at Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
“Opponent’s a good team,” Martin said. “Your margin for error is very slim. Everything counts. ... We gotta get those key offensive rebounds. You gotta get stops when you need them. It’s easier said than done, but I didn’t think we were getting gassed.”
Missouri’s game plan consisted of allowing LSU to shoot jumpers. It’s one of the few areas offensively where it struggles, especially on three-pointers. Early on, it worked perfectly as LSU started 0 for 9 from three.
But Martin pointed out how LSU doesn’t necessarily rely on three-pointers, but more on being able to attack the basket. It’s a brutal matchup for Mizzou’s defense, one of the nation’s worst in allowing free throws.
“They do a great job getting downhill with the guards,” Martin said. “They’re the only in our league where you have five guys that can make plays off the dribble.”
Even though Missouri led for most of the game, LSU pulled in front with 4:44 left — its first lead since the opening minutes. And the home side did so by burying those jumpers Mizzou was allowing all game.
Forward Reed Nikko said the game plan was to go under LSU’s ball screens, yielding those jumpers. While Mizzou had an answer to make it a one-point game, LSU found a few more shots late.
“It’s tough when they shoot that pull-up and hit threes and make it,” Nikko said. “I’m not sure if we ran out of gas, they’re a team that’s experienced. It’s a tough break down the stretch.”
For Mizzou, while the Tigers faltered late, they were also heavily outrebounded in those final few minutes. They started off great, keeping LSU off the boards and limiting the home team’s second-chance opportunities.
But LSU came up with a few more loose balls, including on the game-sealing shot. Forward Mitchell Smith blocked a shot, but the ball went to Darius Days, who gathered the offensive rebound and knocked in a jump hook to stretch LSU’s lead.
“We gotta stay locked in for a full 40 (minutes),” Nikko said. “There were stretches where we were obviously dominant on the glass. We have a goal of every game of try to win the glass by 10. We feel like if we do that we have a great chance to win.”
Mizzou’s foul trouble also came back to haunt the Tigers. Multiple players were tagged with fouls, affecting an already thin bench. The duo of Jeremiah Tilmon and Mark Smith were both out again for Mizzou.
While MU stuck around, the Tigers failed to earn what like could’ve been a season-changing victory.
It was another game where Mizzou failed to get over the hump. The Tigers face another challenge in hosting No. 11 Auburn at 5 p.m. Saturday in Mizzou Arena.
“A big part of it is just experience in these types of games,” Nikko said. “Going forward, a game like this would be really helpful. Another thing is we just gotta keep developing that killer instinct. Finish teams off.”