After a dominant 65-point victory over Mississippi Valley State, the LSU Tiger opened 2025 and SEC play with a home matchup versus Vanderbilt. Turnovers kept the Tiger out of it early but a rally late in the first half and throughout the second half kept LSU in it till the last few minutes. Clutch shots by AJ Hoggard helped Vanderbilt get past the Tigers 80-72. The loss dropped the Bayou Bengals’ record to 11-3 and 0-1 in SEC play.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
It was a battle in the paint early on for both teams. 22 of the first 25 points scored were scored within 10 feet of the basket. The other three points came from free throws. Neither team had more than a three-point lead through the first six minutes and 20 seconds.
Four of LSU’s five starters scored in that time with guard Cam Carter being the lone player to not put up any points. Dji Bailey and Corey Chest scored in the paint twice with Chest out-muscling a Vanderbilt defender to throw down the two-hand slam. The Commodores led by one at the 13:40 mark of the first half.
Both teams traded three-pointers with MJ Collins Jr and Carter knocking down the shot on back-to-back possessions. Outside of another layup by Bailey, LSU’s offense stalled for the next four minutes.
Between the 11:51 and 2:49 mark of the first half, LSU scored twice as Vanderbilt went on a 14-4 run. The Tiger offense turned the ball six times during the stretch. Collins Jr scored five points and Tyler Nickel capped off the run with a three-ball that was assisted by AJ Hoggard.
LSU ended the first half with an 8-2 run. Six of the eight points came from the free-throw line as the Tigers went into the locker room shooting 80% from the charity stripe. Vanderbilt was up 34-27 at the break.
Each team went back and forth to begin the second half with Vandy still holding a seven-point lead through the first 3:17. Sears got into the paint before a timeout was called and Carter cut it to within two with a transition wing three-pointer to make it 42-40.
Robert Miller III fouled a Commodore on the following possession which sparked an 11-5 run by Vanderbilt. Jason Edwards hit the quick-trigger three and Jaylen Carey’s layup extended their team’s lead. LSU’s Curtis Givens scored in the between during Vandy’s two-minute scoring drought but picked up pace with a Nickel three and another Carey layup.
LSU rallied back with a 10-2 run to tie the game. Chest converted on an and-one opportunity and Carter knocked down his fourth shot from deep to knock it up at 55 a piece with 8:13 remaining in the game. The Tiger defense also held the Commodore offense to no make baskets during the run.
The Tigers went up one with a Bailey three throw but the the Commodores converted on a reverse four-point play. Hoggard missed his second of two free throws and knocked down a three after Devin McGlockton secured the offensive rebound. That sparked an 11-3 run for Vandy as Hoggard hit multiple stepback shots late in the shotclock.
Hoggard stretched the lead back to seven with an and-one midrnage jumper with two minutes remaining. Sears made both of his free throws and intercepted the ensuing inbound pass and wasn’t granted the timeout he called for as Vanderbilt was granted possession on a jump ball.
A couple more baskets cushioned the lead for the Commodores as they came out on top 80-72, dropping LSU’s record to 11-3 and 0-1 in conference play.
BIG NUMBER: 15
LSU’s offense was sloppy throughout the first half and in parts of the second half, leading to turning the ball over 15 times. The Commodores gave it away nine times on Saturday.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: AJ Hoggard
The senior guard took over late in the game for Vandy and finished the night with 17 points on 6-14 shooting. Hoggard also recorded four assists and a steal as Vanderbilt defeated LSU 80-72.
UP NEXT: The LSU men’s team will pack their bags and head north to Columbia, Missouri to take on the Tigers. Tipoff in the Mizzou Arena is set for 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 7th. The pregame show will begin at 7:30 and the action can be heard on ESPN 103.7 Lafayette 104.1 Lake Charles.
