LSU Crumbles Down Stretch in Tough 77-75 SEC Road Loss to South Carolina

The Tigers defensive effort came up just short in their 77-75 loss against the South Carolina Gamecocks.

Forcing 20 turnovers and controlling the pace for much of the game, LSU blew a double digit lead late, with junior guard Jermaine Couisnard tallying 33 points on 12-of-18 shooting for South Carolina.

It was simply the Couisnard show all afternoon. Getting to his spots and knocking down jumper after jumper, including five threes, the Tigers had no answer for the standout guard. An open corner three set the tone for Couisnard, who got hot in the blink of an eye for his squad.

“Obviously we let Couisnard go off and that was poor,” head coach Will Wade said. “We didn’t get a loose ball early in the game and then he hits a wide-open corner three and that gets him going. Anytime you give up 33 that’s not good.”

Leading by as many as 14 points in the first half, Wade’s group looked poised to come out victorious, but a second half meltdown changed the entire trajectory of game. Missing nine free throws along with weak transition defense put the Gamecocks in position to chip away at the lead, ultimately taking over late.

Going 13-of-22 from the line won’t cut it for the Tigers and Wade knows that, stressing the importance of being more consistent there. Over the last few games, it’s been a struggle for this unit in that area, which came to haunt them against South Carolina.

“We don’t finish off possessions like we need to at the free throw line and that’s disappointing,” Wade said. “We’re going to keep working on it. I’ve never seen a team that goes from shooting it so well early in the year to now we aren’t just adequate at the free throw line. We’ve really regressed there.”

With 15 turnovers and a myriad of missed free throws, it took the Tigers out of the game rather quickly, but it continues to be correctable mistakes for this team. Having Xavier Pinson back on the floor and getting chemistry back in order is of the utmost importance.

Pinson remains to be the X-factor for LSU, commanding the offense and controlling the pace on each possession. But defensively is where he let his presence be felt against the Gamecocks, forcing two steals and wreaking havoc on ball all day. Wade detailed the importance of Pinson as the regular season comes to a close and he gets his legs back underneath him after missing some time with a knee injury.

“He’s very, very important. He’s one of our best players,” Wade said. “He keeps us poised and calm and composed when we’re out there, which is critical. He’s an important, important piece to what we’re doing. We need him to continue to play well and he’s going to start shooting better now that he’s got his legs under him and hopefully that’ll happen sooner rather than later.”

Along with Pinson, the Tigers were led by the consistent Tari Eason, who finished with 21 points on an efficient 8-of-14 shooting. Eason continues to make strides with his jump shooting and becoming more dependable at the free throw line. Forcing three steals of his own, he’s been one of the Tigers best two-way players this season, being a problem against the Gamecocks.

Struggles from three became an issue for LSU, but veteran Darius Days really came out firing, hitting three quick ones early. Finishing on 7-of-12 from the field and 4-of-8 from three, Days totaled 18 points, adding a steal of his own.

It was a slow day at the office for the Tigers, crumbling when the game mattered most in South Carolina. Continuing to struggle late in the game and making mental mistakes won’t cut it as SEC play comes to a close. Slipping closer to a No. 8 seed in the NCAA Tournament, there is still time for this unit to reach their max potential before it’s too late.

LSU faces No. 4 Kentucky in Lexington Wednesday night at 8:00 PM as they look to shake back from a devastating loss against South Carolina. Already defeating the Wildcats when at full strength earlier in the season, it’ll be a battle for the Tigers in a pivotal game.