LSU, last winless team in SEC play, takes aim at Missouri
While Missouri may be ascending with three notable conference wins so far, LSU is struggling to make timely plays and remains the only winless team in the SEC.
Missouri attempts to stay at the top of the SEC Saturday afternoon when it visits struggling LSU in Baton Rouge, La.
Missouri (13-4, 3-1 SEC) owns conference wins over then-No. 22 Florida, Kentucky and Auburn to put itself in a five-way tie for the early lead. The Tigers lead the SEC in field goal percentage (51.6%) and shot 56.3% in Wednesday's 84-74 home win over Auburn, when they let a 13-point lead slip to four in the last two minutes before finishing the game.
Jayden Stone scored a season-high 22 points to lead the Tigers in scoring for the first time this season and is shooting 20-of-34 from the floor in his past four games since returning from a hand injury. Mark Mitchell added 20 and for his third straight 20-point game, while Trent Pierce scored a season-best 18 in his fourth game back from injury.
"What you see is a group of guys, a group of kids, continuing to get better day by day, week by week and practice by practice," Missouri coach Dennis Gates said after his team survived missing 10 free throws and held Auburn to 6-of-21 shooting from 3-point range.
LSU (12-5, 0-4) has taken losses to Texas A&M, South Carolina, Vanderbilt and Kentucky by a combined 25 points.
On Wednesday, LSU fell 75-74 to Kentucky when it blew an 18-point lead by getting outscored 53-36 after halftime. LSU held Kentucky to 26.7% in the first half before conceding 65.4% in the disastrous second half and lost the game by allowing a long inbounds pass that led to a mid-range jumper by Malachi Moreno at the buzzer.
"Unfortunately, I couldn't help get our guys across the finish line there," LSU coach Matt McMahon said. "So, really proud of our players' response. We got a lot better the last couple days. Just crushed (that) we weren't able to finish the deal."
LSU has played each conference game without leading scorer Dedan Thomas Jr. due to a lower leg injury. Thomas (16.2 ppg) is day-to-day and if he sits again Saturday, Pablo Tamba will likely start.
If Thomas is out again, LSU is hoping to get a more efficient showing from Max Mackinnon. Mackinnon scored 16 points but was 4-of-16 from the field and missed five of seven 3-point tries against Kentucky.