Skip to main content
LSU Country

Adam Miller, Justice Hill Lead the Way as LSU Defeats Arkansas State 61-52

The backcourt tandem of Miller and Hill stole the show, Tigers advance to 2-0 on the season.
Zack Nagy|
Adam Miller, Justice Hill Lead the Way as LSU Defeats Arkansas State 61-52
Adam Miller, Justice Hill Lead the Way as LSU Defeats Arkansas State 61-52

In this story:

LSU Tigers

Matt McMahon and the LSU basketball program continue to be a work in progress, but the Tigers have seen growth each time they step on the floor. In Saturday’s contest against Arkansas State, LSU came out on top 61-52 where their defensive improvement was a major takeaway.

This squad is certainly still finding their footing, but McMahon has been pleased with the steady improvements they’ve made both in their first two games as well as in a practice setting.

Here are a few takeaways from Saturday’s matchup against Arkansas State:

Backcourt Tandem of Adam Miller and Justice Hill

It’s clear second-year Tiger Adam Miller hasn’t skipped a beat since returning from his ACL injury. It’s a small, small sample size, but Miller continues to showcase his elite athleticism and knockdown jumper thus far.

As for his backcourt mate Justice Hill, the Murray State transfer looked exceptional Saturday night against Arkansas State. The Hill-Miller duo combined for 23 first half points on an efficient clip.

McMahon has his backcourt tandem to fall back on when in need of a bucket, and with Hill’s tremendous vision paired with Miller’s elite scoring ability, the two fit like a glove.

Against Arkansas State, the two combine for 37 total points while facilitating the offense in a big, big way. Miller led the game in scoring with 26 points on 9/15 shooting. 

Defensive Improvements

In the Tigers’ season opener against Kansas City, their defensive rotations were all out of sorts, specifically once defenders would drive in the lane. On Saturday, it was much different for this group.

LSU, led by KJ Williams, did their part and then some on defense. It wasn’t a drastic improvement, but after the rather inconsistent performance they put together in the season opener, to see signs of life on that end of the floor was promising.

The Tigers finished with 26 defensive rebounds, three blocks and six steals, but their containment of the three-ball was most impressive. Closing out on their opponent and limiting easy catch-and-shoot threes stole the show, with the Red Wolves shooting 20% from three.

KJ Williams’ Growth as a Shooter

Williams came to Baton Rouge as an impactful inside presence. Utilizing his sheer strength and size inside is what made him such a force when at Murray State, but advancements in his game, specifically on the perimeter, is what has elevated his game.

On Saturday against Arkansas State, Williams showcased both what he can do inside and out, but the consistency from three is what was most impressive. 

Knocking down three-of-five attempts, he’s become a legitimate weapon from outside. Yes, small sample size, but showing effectiveness from deep will be key for this team down the line. 

Loading recommendations... Please wait while we load personalized content recommendations

Published
Zack Nagy
ZACK NAGY

Zack Nagy is the Managing Editor and Publisher of LSU Country, a Sports Illustrated Publication. Nagy has covered Tiger Football, Basketball, Baseball and Recruiting, looking to keep readers updated on anything and everything involving LSU athletics. 

Share on XFollow znagy20
Home/Basketball