Abysmal Start Dooms LSU Basketball in Final SEC Road Game, Lose to Arkansas 99-90

Arkansas jumped on a sluggish, unprepared LSU team and was able to ride it out for 99-90 win in Fayetteville.

The final score may not show it, but LSU was dominated from pretty much start to finish, despite a late run that cut a once 23 point Arkansas lead to seven late in the second half. The team's deplorable start was just too much to overcome.

Early foul trouble plagued the Tigers as LSU picked up eight fouls in the first eight minutes of the game, including two a piece going to senior Skylar Mays and sophomore Darius Days. That would be a trend that extended throughout the entirety of the game as four Tigers picked up at least four fouls on the night.

Arkansas would attempt 49 free throws on the night, draining 30 of them but what really killed LSU was not getting back in transition.

The Razorbacks opened up a double digit advantage as missed LSU shots at the rim led to wide open looks for Desi Sills, Mason Jones and Jimmy Whitt. Arkansas led by as many as 21 points in the first half as Jones, Sills and Whitt outscored the Tigers 42-34 in the half and would combine for 75 points on the night as a whole.

Jones alone dropped 20 of his 36 points in the first half, just one shy of his SEC-leading 21.3 points per game average as LSU had no answers against the Razorbacks out in transition. Jones and the other guards were just toying with the abysmal LSU defense, making no look passes and converting four-point plays late in the shotclock.

Arkansas converted on 15 of its final 22 shot attempts of the first half to take a 55-34 lead into the break. It was the most points the Razorbacks scored in a half in nearly five years.

LSU's energy and effort were cause for serious concern as the Razorbacks held their own in two stats that the Tigers had come to bread their butter on for success this season. Arkansas entered Wednesday's game dead last in the SEC in rebounds and were even out-rebounded 53-24 by the Tigers in Baton Rouge two months ago.

Wednesday was a different story as the Razorbacks were able to hold their own on the glass, losing the battle 40-35

The Tigers were able to cut into the deficit a bit in the second half, cutting the Arkansas lead to 87-80 behind Mays’ team high 28 points. But the foul trouble continued to be an issue for LSU as Javonte Smart and Days would both foul out in the closing minutes.

Losing by double digits most of the second half, it allowed bench players like Courtese Cooper, and James Bishop to get some run. While both of those guys on the floor, LSU was able to cut into the Arkansas lead multiple times.

LSU will look to close the season on a high note against a red hot Georgia team that’s won four of its last five contests.