The LSU basketball team almost missed their attempt to win on the road for the second time in three games on Wednesday night, despite a strong late surge.
In their Southeastern Conference game against Georgia in Athens, Georgia, LSU was behind by eight points with 2:55 remaining. However, with 17.4 seconds remaining, the Tigers scored nine straight baskets to take a 66-65 lead.
With seven seconds left, Jabri Abdur-Rahim of Georgia attempted a deep 3-point shot but missed it following an old-fashioned three-point play by Jalen Cook.
With 2.3 seconds remaining, 7-foot, 275-pound center Russell Tchewa jumped over Hunter Dean to collect the ball and put it in while getting fouled because LSU was unable to grab the rebound.
In a 68-66 triumph at Stegeman Coliseum, Tchewa went on to finish the three-point play that turned out to be the game-winning basket for Georgia.
LSU(11-8, 3-3 SEC) had one more opportunity. Following timeout calls by Georgia’s Mike White and LSU coach Matt McMahon, Jalen Reed found Jordan Wright in the corner in front of the Tigers’ bench with a length-of-the-court pass.
After dodging a defender to take the ball, Wright turned to attempt a three-point shot. But his high-arcing jumper bounced in and out of the hoop and landed safely on the floor, keeping Georgia ahead (14-5, 4-2).
Silas Demary, who was averaging 9.9 points per game, scored 11 straight points in 3 and a half minutes to transform a 23-21 deficit into a 32-25 advantage with 2:24 remaining in the half, and Georgia led 35-33 at the half.
The previous time LSU led the game was by two points, and Cook’s three-pointer with 17.4 seconds remaining gave the Tigers their first lead back.
However, they were unable to hold on despite making three comebacks in the second half after down by at least eight points.
“I thought our guys showed great resiliency throughout the game,” McMahon stated. “Despite falling several times, we continued to play and battle.
“Had a strong competitive spirit and a constant drive to win the game back.” I will have to rewatch the movie since I felt Hunter Dean had a nice box-out on the shot with three seconds remaining. Just a difficult way to lose in the end.”
Wright finished with 18 points, having scored 11 in the first half, while Cook had a game-high 21 points, 11 of which came in the second half. The only other LSU players with double digits were them.
For the sixteenth consecutive game, Wright finished in double digits.
With 15 points, Demary emerged as Georgia’s leader, followed by Tchewa and Noah Thomasson, who each had 11 points. Tchewa had eleven rebounds as well.
The Bulldogs’ biggest lead in the first 20 minutes came from Demary’s seven-point advantage late in the first half.
LSU answered, closing the first half with an 8-3 run. Before heading to the locker room, Wright’s two-pointer was followed by three 3-pointers from Cook and Mike Williams, cutting the score to 35-33.
With 16:04 remaining in the second half, Georgia led 41–33 and appeared to be taking the lead after scoring the opening six points of the half.
Despite missing four shots and making three mistakes in the opening four minutes of the second half, the Tigers failed to score.
However, Will Baker broke the deadlock with a close-range jumper, and Cook scored consecutive 3-pointers to bring the score within two points once more, 43-41.
With 11:05 left in the game, Dean’s three-point shot knotted the score at 50 all, but LSU lost the next possession.
With a little over five minutes remaining, the Tigers missed five shots and committed five more of their 16 turnovers, which allowed the Bulldogs to take their biggest lead of the game, 61-52, with 5:50 left.
Following an eight-point deficit, Reed made a three-pointer from the corner, and Cook and Trae Hannibal both scored three-pointers to put the team ahead 66-65.
“Guys really made some big-time plays in that last minute down the stretch to get us the lead,” McMahon stated.
LSU’s road trip continues on Saturday as it travels to Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, to play Alabama at 7 p.m. (ESPN).