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LSU

No. 19 LSU erases 13-point deficit, beats LA Tech 66-57

AP
Dec 18, 2021

BOSSIER CITY, La. (AP) Tari Eason scored 21 points, Darius Days added 13 with a career-high 18 rebounds and No. 19 LSU Tigers rallied from a 13-point deficit to beat Louisiana Tech Bulldogs 66-57 on Saturday night.

The teams swapped the lead five times with seven ties in the second half. After Tech tied it at 57, Eason's 3-pointer put the Tigers ahead for good with 2:28 left. His dunk with 33 seconds remaining stretched the lead to seven.

''Obviously, a really great game,'' LSU coach Will Wade said. ''I thought Louisiana Tech played tremendously.''

Eason had 14 points in the second half to help the Tigers (11-0) remain one of seven unbeaten teams in the country. The 6-foot-8 sophomore scored 10 straight points down the stretch. It was his ninth double-digit output in 11 games.

''I've always said that big-time players step up in big0time moments in big-time games,'' Eason said. ''It's all about being level-headed. Your next play is your best plays.''

Days, a 6-7 senior, went over 1,000 points in his career at LSU.

Louisiana Tech (8-3) had three players reach double figures. Kenneth Lofton Jr. and Amorie Archibald led the Bulldogs with 13 points each, while Exavian Christon scored 11.

The Tigers trailed by 13 early in the first half and 35-27 at halftime. Back-to-back 3-pointers from Days and Brandon Murray cut the Bulldogs lead to 38-37 with 16:56 remaining. LSU took its first lead of the game on Eason's two free throws at the 16:10 mark of the second half.

''(Louisiana Tech) did a really great job of shrinking the floor in the first half,'' Wade said. ''They made our driving angles very, very tough which made things difficult on that end.''

BIG PICTURE

LSU: The Tigers have played four games in northwest Louisiana since 2000, three at the Brookshire's Grocery Arena in Bossier City. LSU is 3-1 in those four games.

''Tremendous atmosphere,'' Wade said. ''(Tech) are a tremendous ballclub. I thought the fans looked pretty evenly split. Maybe we had a few more, but it was just a great atmosphere and a lot of fun.

''I thought it was good for basketball in the state that we come up here and 7,000 people come watch two in-state teams play on a neutral court. I thought it was a great afternoon of basketball, and I'm just excited to get the win.''

LA Tech: The loss to LSU marked the second time this season the Bulldogs have lost to a Top 25 team. They lost 93-64 to No. 14 Alabama in the season opener.

UP NEXT

LSU: Faces Lipscomb on Wednesday in Baton Rouge.

LA Tech: Faces Crowleys Ridge College on Wednesday in Ruston.

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More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25

1st Half
LT
Bulldogs
35
LSU
Tigers
27

Time		Play	Score
20:00		Efton Reid vs. Kenneth Lofton Jr. (Bulldogs gains possession)
19:38	+3	Amorie Archibald makes three point jump shot (Exavian Christon assists)	3-0
19:22		Efton Reid misses two point layup
19:20		Keaston Willis defensive rebound
19:13	+2	Cobe Williams makes two point layup (Amorie Archibald assists)	5-0
18:57		Darius Days turnover (traveling)
18:29		Kenneth Lofton Jr. misses two point jump shot
18:27		Efton Reid defensive rebound
18:20		Brandon Murray turnover (lost ball) (Kenneth Lofton Jr. steals)
17:50	+3	Amorie Archibald makes three point jump shot	8-0
17:38		Efton Reid misses two point layup
17:36		Amorie Archibald defensive rebound
17:24		Efton Reid personal foul (Kenneth Lofton Jr. draws the foul)
17:16		Keaston Willis misses three point jump shot
17:14		Darius Days defensive rebound
17:12		Darius Days turnover (bad pass)
16:43		Brandon Murray shooting foul (Cobe Williams draws the foul)
16:43		Cobe Williams misses regular free throw 1 of 2
16:43	+1	Cobe Williams makes regular free throw 2 of 2	9-0
16:28		Xavier Pinson turnover (lost ball) (Kenneth Lofton Jr. steals)
16:22		Amorie Archibald misses three point jump shot
16:20		Efton Reid defensive rebound
16:08		Brandon Murray misses three point jump shot
16:06		Cobe Williams defensive rebound
16:01		Keaston Willis misses three point jump shot
15:59		Kenneth Lofton Jr. offensive rebound
15:56	+2	Kenneth Lofton Jr. makes two point layup	11-0
15:49	+3	Xavier Pinson makes three point jump shot	11-3
15:30		Cobe Williams misses two point layup
15:28		Mwani Wilkinson defensive rebound
15:19		Xavier Pinson misses two point jump shot
15:17		Keaston Willis defensive rebound
14:57		Cobe Williams misses three point jump shot
14:55		Darius Days defensive rebound
14:46		Xavier Pinson misses three point jump shot
14:44		Kenneth Lofton Jr. defensive rebound
14:20	+3	Keaston Willis makes three point jump shot (Exavian Christon assists)	14-3
13:50		Mwani Wilkinson misses two point jump shot
13:48		Keaston Willis defensive rebound
13:41		Keaston Willis misses three point jump shot
13:39		Xavier Pinson defensive rebound
13:19	+2	Efton Reid makes two point layup	14-5
12:58		Keaston Willis misses three point jump shot
12:56		Darius Days defensive rebound
12:38		Brandon Murray misses two point jump shot
12:36		Amorie Archibald defensive rebound
12:30	+2	Amorie Archibald makes two point layup	16-5
12:12		Xavier Pinson misses two point jump shot
12:10		Exavian Christon defensive rebound
12:09		Darius Days personal foul (Exavian Christon draws the foul)
12:09		TV timeout
11:55	+2	Kenny Hunter makes two point layup (LaDamien Bradford assists)	18-5
11:37		Xavier Pinson misses two point jump shot
11:35		Xavier Pinson offensive rebound
11:31		Tari Eason misses two point jump shot
11:29		LaDamien Bradford defensive rebound
11:23		David Green turnover (lost ball) (Darius Days steals)
11:18	+2	Tari Eason makes two point jump shot	18-7
10:52		David Green turnover (bad pass) (Eric Gaines steals)
10:50		TV timeout
10:40		Tari Eason misses three point jump shot
10:38		LaDamien Bradford defensive rebound
10:32		David Green misses three point jump shot
10:30		Kenny Hunter offensive rebound
10:19		Kenny Hunter turnover (lost ball) (Darius Days steals)
10:12		Eric Gaines misses two point layup
10:10		Amorie Archibald defensive rebound
9:57		Kaleb Stewart misses three point jump shot
9:55		Darius Days defensive rebound
9:40		Alex Fudge misses three point jump shot
9:38		Darius Days offensive rebound
9:35	+2	Darius Days makes two point layup	18-9
9:22		LaDamien Bradford misses three point jump shot
9:20		Eric Gaines defensive rebound
9:13		Efton Reid turnover (traveling)
8:52		Exavian Christon misses three point jump shot
8:50		Kenneth Lofton Jr. offensive rebound
8:46	+3	Keaston Willis makes three point jump shot (Kenneth Lofton Jr. assists)	21-9
8:33		Eric Gaines misses two point layup
8:31		Bulldogs defensive rebound
8:10		LaDamien Bradford turnover (bad pass) (Eric Gaines steals)
8:05	+2	Eric Gaines makes two point dunk	21-11
7:53		Cobe Williams turnover (lost ball) (Eric Gaines steals)
7:51		TV timeout
7:39		Efton Reid offensive foul (Kenneth Lofton Jr. draws the foul)
7:38		Efton Reid turnover
7:17		Keaston Willis turnover (bad pass) (Alex Fudge steals)
7:08	+2	Tari Eason makes two point layup (Brandon Murray assists)	21-13
7:00		Brandon Murray personal foul (Cobe Williams draws the foul)
6:41	+2	Cobe Williams makes two point layup (Keaston Willis assists)	23-13
6:14	+2	Mwani Wilkinson makes two point layup	23-15
6:02		Eric Gaines personal foul (Cobe Williams draws the foul)
5:50		Mwani Wilkinson personal foul (Keaston Willis draws the foul)
5:50		Keaston Willis misses regular free throw 1 of 1
5:50		Darius Days defensive rebound
5:41		Keaston Willis shooting foul (Eric Gaines draws the foul)
5:42	+1	Eric Gaines makes regular free throw 1 of 2	23-16
5:42	+1	Eric Gaines makes regular free throw 2 of 2	23-17
5:33	+2	Kenneth Lofton Jr. makes two point layup (Exavian Christon assists)	25-17
5:10		Exavian Christon personal foul (Darius Days draws the foul)
4:59		Darius Days misses three point jump shot
4:57		Tari Eason offensive rebound
4:52		Tari Eason misses two point layup
4:50		Darius Days offensive rebound
4:44		Xavier Pinson misses three point jump shot
4:42		Exavian Christon defensive rebound
4:42		Tari Eason personal foul (Exavian Christon draws the foul)
4:42	+1	Exavian Christon makes regular free throw 1 of 2	26-17
4:42	+1	Exavian Christon makes regular free throw 2 of 2	27-17
4:36	+3	Tari Eason makes three point jump shot (Eric Gaines assists)	27-20
4:25		Keaston Willis misses three point jump shot
4:23		Tari Eason defensive rebound
4:13		Tari Eason misses three point jump shot
4:11		Amorie Archibald defensive rebound
3:49	+3	Exavian Christon makes three point jump shot (Amorie Archibald assists)	30-20
3:36		Tari Eason turnover (traveling)
3:36		TV timeout
3:02		Kenneth Lofton Jr. misses two point jump shot
3:00		Tari Eason defensive rebound
2:54		Exavian Christon personal foul (Darius Days draws the foul)
2:35	+2	Darius Days makes two point jump shot	30-22
2:09		Xavier Pinson personal foul (Cobe Williams draws the foul)
2:09	+1	Cobe Williams makes regular free throw 1 of 2	31-22
2:09	+1	Cobe Williams makes regular free throw 2 of 2	32-22
1:59		Mwani Wilkinson misses two point jump shot
1:57		Tari Eason offensive rebound
1:41		Kenneth Lofton Jr. shooting foul (Alex Fudge draws the foul)
1:41	+1	Alex Fudge makes regular free throw 1 of 2	32-23
1:41	+1	Alex Fudge makes regular free throw 2 of 2	32-24
1:32		Mwani Wilkinson blocks LaDamien Bradford's two point layup
1:30		Kenneth Lofton Jr. offensive rebound
1:30	+2	Kenneth Lofton Jr. makes two point layup	34-24
1:16		Amorie Archibald blocks Mwani Wilkinson's three point jump shot
1:14		Tigers offensive rebound
1:11		Darius Days misses two point layup
1:09		Cobe Williams defensive rebound
0:51		Darius Days shooting foul (Kenneth Lofton Jr. draws the foul)
0:51		Kenneth Lofton Jr. misses regular free throw 1 of 2
0:51	+1	Kenneth Lofton Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2	35-24
0:38		LaDamien Bradford shooting foul (Darius Days draws the foul)
0:38	+1	Darius Days makes regular free throw 1 of 2	35-25
0:38		Darius Days misses regular free throw 2 of 2
0:38		Darius Days offensive rebound
0:22		Eric Gaines misses two point jump shot
0:20		Darius Days offensive rebound
0:15		Darius Days misses two point layup
0:13		Tari Eason offensive rebound
0:13		Tari Eason misses two point layup
0:11		Darius Days offensive rebound
0:16	+2	Darius Days makes two point layup	35-27
0:13		Tigers 30 second timeout
0:02		Cobe Williams misses three point jump shot
0:00		Alex Fudge defensive rebound
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
LT
Bulldogs
22
LSU
Tigers
39

Time		Play	Score
19:42	+2	Efton Reid makes two point jump shot	35-29
19:20		Cobe Williams turnover (lost ball)
19:02	+2	Mwani Wilkinson makes two point layup (Efton Reid assists)	35-31
18:43		Keaston Willis misses three point jump shot
18:41		Efton Reid defensive rebound
18:31		Brandon Murray misses three point jump shot
18:29		Kenneth Lofton Jr. defensive rebound
18:28		Efton Reid personal foul (Kenneth Lofton Jr. draws the foul)
18:03	+2	Exavian Christon makes two point layup (Kenneth Lofton Jr. assists)	37-31
18:03		Xavier Pinson shooting foul (Exavian Christon draws the foul)
18:01	+1	Exavian Christon makes regular free throw 1 of 1	38-31
17:36	+3	Darius Days makes three point jump shot (Mwani Wilkinson assists)	38-34
17:09		Amorie Archibald misses three point jump shot
17:07		Tari Eason defensive rebound
16:58	+3	Brandon Murray makes three point jump shot (Xavier Pinson assists)	38-37
16:55		Bulldogs 30 second timeout
16:56		TV timeout
16:28		Amorie Archibald misses two point layup
16:26		Mwani Wilkinson defensive rebound
16:22		Xavier Pinson turnover (bad pass) (Cobe Williams steals)
16:15		Cobe Williams misses two point layup
16:13		Xavier Pinson defensive rebound
16:09		Kenneth Lofton Jr. shooting foul (Tari Eason draws the foul)
16:10	+1	Tari Eason makes regular free throw 1 of 2	38-38
16:09	+1	Tari Eason makes regular free throw 2 of 2	38-39
16:03		Cobe Williams offensive foul
16:03		Cobe Williams turnover
15:47	+2	Tari Eason makes two point jump shot (Eric Gaines assists)	38-41
15:14	+3	Keaston Willis makes three point jump shot (Amorie Archibald assists)	41-41
14:56		Tari Eason misses three point jump shot
14:54		Keaston Willis defensive rebound
14:39		Kenneth Lofton Jr. turnover (traveling)
14:39		TV timeout
14:26		Alex Fudge offensive foul (Keaston Willis draws the foul)
14:26		Alex Fudge turnover
14:12	+3	Exavian Christon makes three point jump shot (Kaleb Stewart assists)	44-41
13:49		Efton Reid turnover (bad pass) (Exavian Christon steals)
13:34	+2	Kenneth Lofton Jr. makes two point layup (Amorie Archibald assists)	46-41
13:34		Alex Fudge shooting foul (Kenneth Lofton Jr. draws the foul)
13:34		Kenneth Lofton Jr. misses regular free throw 1 of 1
13:34		Efton Reid defensive rebound
13:21		Kenneth Lofton Jr. shooting foul (Eric Gaines draws the foul)
13:20	+1	Eric Gaines makes regular free throw 1 of 2	46-42
13:21	+1	Eric Gaines makes regular free throw 2 of 2	46-43
13:21		Darius Days technical foul
13:21		Amorie Archibald misses technical free throw 1 of 1
13:21		Bulldogs offensive rebound
12:55		Keaston Willis misses three point jump shot
12:53		Eric Gaines defensive rebound
12:42		Darius Days misses three point jump shot
12:40		Keaston Willis defensive rebound
12:35		Amorie Archibald misses two point layup
12:34		Bulldogs offensive rebound
12:25	+2	Kenny Hunter makes two point layup (Kaleb Stewart assists)	48-43
12:04		Efton Reid offensive foul (Cobe Williams draws the foul)
12:04		Efton Reid turnover
11:58		Kaleb Stewart misses three point jump shot
11:56		Darius Days defensive rebound
11:41		Brandon Murray misses two point layup
11:39		LaDamien Bradford defensive rebound
11:36		LaDamien Bradford turnover (lost ball) (Brandon Murray steals)
11:31		Tari Eason misses two point layup
11:29		Darius Days offensive rebound
11:29	+2	Darius Days makes two point layup	48-45
11:22		Xavier Pinson personal foul
11:22		TV timeout
10:59		Cobe Williams misses three point jump shot
10:57		Tari Eason defensive rebound
10:50	+3	Xavier Pinson makes three point jump shot (Brandon Murray assists)	48-48
10:36		Kaleb Stewart turnover (lost ball) (Darius Days steals)
10:33		Darius Days turnover (Kaleb Stewart steals)
10:14		Cobe Williams misses two point layup
10:12		Kenneth Lofton Jr. offensive rebound
10:10	+2	Kenneth Lofton Jr. makes two point layup	50-48
9:49		Kenneth Lofton Jr. shooting foul (Xavier Pinson draws the foul)
9:49	+1	Xavier Pinson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	50-49
9:50	+1	Xavier Pinson makes regular free throw 2 of 2	50-50
9:43		Amorie Archibald turnover (bad pass) (Alex Fudge steals)
9:41		Amorie Archibald personal foul (Alex Fudge draws the foul)
9:19	+2	Brandon Murray makes two point dunk	50-52
8:53		LaDamien Bradford misses two point jump shot
8:51		Alex Fudge defensive rebound
8:31		Eric Gaines turnover (bad pass)
8:08		Keaston Willis misses two point layup
8:06		Darius Days defensive rebound
7:59		Xavier Pinson misses three point jump shot
7:57		Keaston Willis defensive rebound
7:27		Tari Eason shooting foul (Amorie Archibald draws the foul)
7:27		TV timeout
7:27	+1	Amorie Archibald makes regular free throw 1 of 3	51-52
7:27	+1	Amorie Archibald makes regular free throw 2 of 3	52-52
7:27	+1	Amorie Archibald makes regular free throw 3 of 3	53-52
7:06		Efton Reid misses two point layup
7:04		Amorie Archibald defensive rebound
7:06		Mwani Wilkinson personal foul (Amorie Archibald draws the foul)
7:04	+1	Amorie Archibald makes regular free throw 1 of 2	54-52
7:06	+1	Amorie Archibald makes regular free throw 2 of 2	55-52
6:54		Mwani Wilkinson misses three point jump shot
6:52		Darius Days offensive rebound
6:50		Darius Days misses two point layup
6:48		Bulldogs defensive rebound
6:35		Amorie Archibald offensive foul (Eric Gaines draws the foul)
6:35		Amorie Archibald turnover
6:21	+2	Xavier Pinson makes two point jump shot	55-54
6:06		Exavian Christon turnover (lost ball)
5:51		Kenny Hunter shooting foul (Tari Eason draws the foul)
5:51		Tari Eason misses regular free throw 1 of 2
5:51	+1	Tari Eason makes regular free throw 2 of 2	55-55
5:22		Amorie Archibald misses three point jump shot
5:20		Kenny Hunter offensive rebound
5:17		Kenny Hunter misses two point layup
5:15		Tari Eason defensive rebound
4:56		Darius Days misses three point jump shot
4:54		Keaston Willis defensive rebound
4:32		Keaston Willis misses two point layup
4:30		Brandon Murray defensive rebound
4:25	+2	Tari Eason makes two point layup (Xavier Pinson assists)	55-57
4:02		Cobe Williams misses two point jump shot
4:00		Darius Days defensive rebound
3:48		Tigers 30 second timeout
3:48		TV timeout
3:36		Brandon Murray misses three point jump shot
3:34		Bulldogs defensive rebound
3:11		Tari Eason blocks Kenneth Lofton Jr.'s two point layup
3:09		Darius Days defensive rebound
3:01		Darius Days misses three point jump shot
2:59		Amorie Archibald defensive rebound
2:50	+2	Kenneth Lofton Jr. makes two point layup (Amorie Archibald assists)	57-57
2:31	+3	Tari Eason makes three point jump shot (Darius Days assists)	57-60
1:58		Cobe Williams misses three point jump shot
1:56		Darius Days defensive rebound
1:37	+2	Tari Eason makes two point layup	57-62
1:37		Exavian Christon shooting foul (Tari Eason draws the foul)
1:37		Tari Eason misses regular free throw 1 of 1
1:37		Kenneth Lofton Jr. defensive rebound
1:12		Kenneth Lofton Jr. turnover (lost ball) (Tari Eason steals)
1:12		Tari Eason turnover (traveling)
1:00		Exavian Christon turnover (bad pass) (Eric Gaines steals)
0:35	+2	Tari Eason makes two point dunk	57-64
0:33		Bulldogs 30 second timeout
0:28		Keaston Willis misses three point jump shot
0:26		Eric Gaines defensive rebound
0:25		Cobe Williams personal foul (Eric Gaines draws the foul)
0:25	+1	Eric Gaines makes regular free throw 1 of 2	57-65
0:25		Eric Gaines misses regular free throw 2 of 2
0:25		Exavian Christon defensive rebound
0:20		Cobe Williams misses three point jump shot
0:18		Darius Days defensive rebound
0:20		Cobe Williams personal foul (Darius Days draws the foul)
0:17	+1	Darius Days makes regular free throw 1 of 2	57-66
0:15		Darius Days misses regular free throw 2 of 2
0:15		Cobe Williams defensive rebound
0:08		Keaston Willis misses three point jump shot
0:06		Eric Gaines defensive rebound
0:00		End of period

Eric Gaines defensive rebound