What LSU MBB said after 81-76 loss to Missouri

LSU lost to Missouri in its final home game of the season on Wednesday night, 81-76, despite leading by 18 late in the first half. After shooting 11-of-15 in the first half from 3-point range, LSU went 3-of-13 in the second half from deep, while Missouri continued to chip away and eventually took the lead with less than two minutes to go.

KJ Williams once again led the home Tigers in scoring, this time with 24 points to go with 14 rebounds, while Adam Miller and Jalen Reed pitched in 17 and 11 points, respectively. The loss drops LSU to 13-17 on the year and 2-15 in SEC play.

Here’s what LSU had to say after the game.

LSU Head Coach Matt McMahon

Opening Statement…

“I thought our guys really competed tonight. Parker Edwards got us off to a really special start there with his two threes and his start on Senior Night. I thought that carried over to our team. I think we competed the way we need to play every single night. Credit to Missouri, they stayed the course there when we built a lead in the first half. I think we had one two-point field goal there, everything else was done beyond the arc and it was going to be hard to continue to shoot at a 73% clip from behind the arc. Unfortunately, in the second half, some of the same problem that have bother us all year. A lot of turnovers, unforced turnovers at times. KJ (Williams) with another monster game, they (Missouri) put two and three on him at a time, but we were trying to get it to him on every trip. Unable to do so there late in the game. A couple of key possessions I thought, we got a stop with about two minutes to go up by two, they shot an airball three, we were unable to come up with the rebound and they (Missouri) got a putback there. We take a bad shot late. We were unable to get anything going there and then (D’Moi) Hodge buries a huge three. Credit to Missouri. They put a lot of pressure on you defensively. All one through five can beat you off the dribble and get to the rim and make plays at the basket. If you go double, they can all shoot it from three. Obviously disappointed in the result tonight.”

On the second half…

“Just disappointing, you come out to start the second half and we leave the ball there and give up an easy 15-footer and the come down and turn it over to get it back to single digits. I think they (Missouri) finally tied it right around 59 and we did mount a response there. We were able to build the lead again but just couldn’t get enough stops. Then, just unfortunate, we had back-to-back possessions where we didn’t even get a shot at the goal because turned the ball over. That’s poor execution there.” 

On LSU’s turnovers…

“It’s tough. We haven’t shot the ball, you know the numbers, we haven’t shot it every well at all this season. We are 14-of-28 from three tonight. I did think we left some opportunities on the scoreboard around the rim. I think we were 7-of-21 from two-point range, which isn’t good enough. But the turnovers are just brutal. It’s just brutal, there’s no other way around it. In games we’ve had opportunities to win this year we took care of the basketball. You look at 16 turnovers leads to 20 points for Missouri. With the way they score the ball, they certainly don’t need you helping them out by giving them easy points. They do a good job defensively. I thought they really tightened their defense up down the stretch. They were going to key in on taking KJ away and we were unable to make plays off the bounce at that point when they were switching everything out.”

LSU Forward KJ Williams 

On turnovers costing the game… 

“I think for us we just have to execute that in the second half. Having that many turnovers in a  crucial game like this and us coming out like that in the first half, we just have to come out with  the same fire in the second half. We can’t have that many turnovers in the second half. I think  

we had like 10 in the second half. We can’t have those mistakes. And then getting back in  transition as well, and getting those easy buckets, easy three’s, drive-by layups. You just have  to lock in on the most important thing.” 

On what the support from the fans mean… 

“With this being my first year, it is one of the things I was looking forward to coming to LSU.  That’s why I came here because of the great fans they have and great fan base. And I’d like to  thank them for their support of us throughout the season. Knowing what the outcome was, they  still came out and supported and gave us great energy.” 

LSU Guard Adam Miller 

Thoughts on three-point shooting in the first half…. 

“We had our energy going there in the first half. Parker Edwards came out with two back-to back three’s. KJ (Williams) hit one and I kind of got going a little bit. I mean when we play like  that, it’s fun. I remember coming back out in the second half for warmups, and we were 73%  from the three, so you know when you play like that, you get a chance to get an early lead, and  we built our early lead there in the first half.” 

On Adam Miller’s thought on what the support from the fans means 

“Everyone in the stands support us. Majority of the reason I came back to LSU was because I  didn’t get to play in front of these fans. So, for the ones that supported and stuck with us through the season, trials and tribulations, it was heartfelt for me because we had a duty to those fans. I  just wanted to come out and do my best for them every night and do my hardest. First season  back, being able to do that for them, I just want them to know I gave it my all.”