LSU loses to Oklahoma State in Orlando, 90-77

ORLANDO, Florida – The LSU Tigers couldn’t overcome missing their first 11 shots and falling behind by a 15-2 score in the first 5:24 of the third place game of the AdvoCare Invitational Sunday afternoon, falling to the Cowboys, 90-77, at the HP Field House at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

LSU finishes the three-day event 1-2, failing to match its third place finish of 2013 in the venue at what was then the Old Spice Classic.

The Tigers, expected to fall out of both polls after two losses, dropped to 5-2 on the year. LSU will, however, have time to work on where the Tigers go from here in practice before facing Grambling State on Saturday at 4 p.m. at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge.

Junior Skylar Mays, who had 19 points in the loss to Florida State in overtime on Friday, had another big scoring afternoon with 20 points, hitting 8-of-11 shots, including four treys. Kavell Bigby-Williams did some good things inside off the bench, getting 12 points on 6-of-9 shooting. He led the team in rebounds with seven, four offensive.

Cameron McGriff was a thorn in LSU’s side all afternoon long, hitting 10-of-15 shots with two treys in a 28-point night. Lindy Waters added 16 and Michael Weathers 12. The Cowboys hit 58.5 percent from the floor (31-of-53) and 8-of-16 treys to go with 20-of-25 free throws.

LSU, after missing the first 11 shots, finished at 28-of-68 for 41.2 percent and 9-of-27 from the arc after starting 1-of-7. LSU was 12-of-20 from the line.

The Tigers did out rebound Oklahoma State, 36-34, with an 18-8 advantage on the offensive boards.

Both teams turned the ball over with LSU having 16 and OSU 18 miscues. LSU had a 32-30 advantage in the paint and 31-23 in points off turnovers.

LSU got the tip, missed a three-pointer, and Yor Anei dunked to start was a 7-0 run as LSU in the first 2:15 would miss two three-pointers and two three layups.

Marlon Taylor off the bench got LSU on the board at the 16:33 mark when he hit one-of-two free throws but OSU (4-2) came back with two three-pointers by Lindy Waters and a steal and score by Anei to make it 15-2 at the 14:36 mark.

LSU did not hit its first field goal until the 13:41 mark when Emmitt Williams scored to make it 15-6 in favor of Oklahoma State.

But the Tigers began to slowly find its footing and went on an 11-2 run of its own that took the game from LSU down 29-20 to tied at 31-31. Darius Days got a layup, Tremont Waters hit a three off a steal, and Ja’vonte Smart knocked down a three to make it 29-28 with 6:10 to go in the first half.

LSU surrendered a layup to Lindy Waters before Naz Reid made a free throw and Mays got a steal and a dunk to tie the game at 31-31 with 5:55 to play before intermission.

But after a couple of ties at 33 and 35, LSU took the lead 37-35 with 2:23 to play on a Bigby-Williams layup only to have McGriff come down and hit a three to give Oklahoma State back the lead for good at 38-37. Oklahoma State went to the dressing room up, 42-37.

In the second half, the game got away from LSU early as in the first half, OSU got the Tigers on a 12-0 run that put the Cowboys up, 57-39, with 15:22 to play. The deficit for LSU ballooned to as much as 23 before the Tigers were able to take the OSU lead down to the final margin.

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