By GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
The LSU basketball team played its first ranked team of the season and looked nothing like it had all year in losing its first game.
The Tigers came in at No. 12 in the nation in scoring with 92.3 points a game, but finished 34 below that in an 82-58 loss at No. 19 Texas Tech in Fort Worth.
LSU (8-1) did not get quality play for the first time from junior star point guard transfer Dedan Thomas Jr., who finished with one assist after coming in leading the Southeastern Conference with 7.0 a game. Thomas led the Tigers with 13 points, but hit only five of 14 shots with 1-of-4 shooting from three-point range, and he turned it over three times as a trapping Tech defense gave him problems.
The Tigers shot just 4 of 24 from beyond the arc for 17 percent, while Texas Tech (7-2) hit 13 of 27 from long range for 48 percent. LSU forward Mike Nwoko added 10 points with seven rebounds. The Tigers had no one else with double-figure points after coming in with four players averaging that.
“Texas Tech made us pay for our offensive shortcomings,” LSU coach Matt McMahon said. “They really assaulted the three-point line. That was the difference in the game.”
LSU shot 33 percent from the field, hitting 21 of 63 for 33 percent. Texas Tech shot 28 of 60 for 47 percent and outrebounded the Tigers, 48-33.
“We got whipped on the glass,” McMahon said.
Guard Christian Anderson led Texas Tech with 27 points, including 20 in the first half as the Red Raiders built a 47-26 halftime lead.
“He really dominated,” McMahon said. “He just dictated the whole flow of the first twenty minutes.”
The Tigers were never in this one as they fell behind 8-1 in the opening moments, then by 13-4, 21-9 and 33-13 at the 8:30 mark of the first half. Texas Tech quickly poured it on and never let up.
LSU next plays against SMU (8-1) on Saturday in New Orleans (7:30 p.m., SEC Network). The Tigers have three home games after that – Southeastern Louisiana, Prairie View A&M and Southern Mississippi – to tune up with before opening Southeastern Conference play at Texas A&M on Jan. 3.
“We’ve got a lot of getting better to do in preparation for SMU,” McMahon said. “But we have a good team.”
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