By GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
One can say a lot of bad things about the LSU basketball team. But it has not quit.
The Tigers trailed by 17 at Texas in the first half Tuesday, by 15 at the half and by 16 early in the second half, but they were not done. LSU stormed back to get within striking distance at four and three points several times, but in the end couldn’t get over the hump and fell, 88-85, in Austin.
LSU (14-12, 2-11 Southeastern Conference) won the second half, convincingly, 52-40, by shooting 63 percent from the field, but it was not enough. And the Tigers lost their fourth straight game and seventh out of eight.
Texas (17-9, 8-5 SEC) won its fifth straight league game.
Max Mackinnon returned from missing the Tigers’ last game with a knee injury and put on a show, scoring a season-high 29 points, including 23 in the second half, on 12-of-18 shooting with 2 of 4 from three-point range and most of the rest off drives and mid-range jumpers.
Three other Tigers were in double figures with forward Marquel Sutton getting 19, five rebounds and two steals, center Mike Nwoko adding 15 and point guard Jalen Reece putting up 14 with nine assists and two steals with only one turnover.
Dailyn Swain led Texas with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Jordan Pope and Tramon Mark each added 18, and Matas Vokietaitis scored 17 with 10 boards.
“We scored 85 points. That should be enough to win on the road,” LSU coach Matt McMahon said. “Jalen Reece did a fantastic job orchestrating the offense, and Max’s movement without the ball was terrific.”
But Texas out-rebounded LSU, 34-27, and had 16 second chance points to four. The Longhorns also hit 23 of 34 free throws to 16 of 19 by LSU.
“We’ve got to figure a way to execute better down the stretch,” McMahon said.
LSU hosts No. 25 Alabama (18-7, 8-4 SEC) on Saturday (5 p.m., SEC Network).
“I’m disappointed in the road trip (two losses),” McMahon said. “But we played much better.”
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