Tennessee Basketball Defeats LSU Tigers Following Late Game Effort

Tennessee Basketball Defeats LSU Tigers Following Late Game Effort

KNOXVILLE, TN – The Tennessee Volunteers basketball team defeated the LSU Tigers 77-72 on Wednesday, February 26th, in a thrilling matchup at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

 

The Volunteers, who were led by senior guard Jordan Bowden’s 23 points, trailed by as many as 10 points in the second half before mounting a late-game comeback. Tennessee outscored LSU 15-6 over the final 3:30 of the game to secure the win.

 

“It was a great team effort,” said Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes. “We didn’t play our best basketball for most of the game, but we found a way to win. That’s what matters most.”

 

The Tigers, who were led by sophomore guard Javonte Smart’s 22 points, controlled the tempo of the game for much of the first half. LSU took a 38-32 lead into halftime, thanks in large part to Smart’s 12 points in the first 20 minutes.

 

However, Tennessee came out strong in the second half, using a 10-2 run to take a 42-40 lead with 16:30 remaining. The Volunteers would go on to extend their lead to as many as 7 points, but LSU refused to go away.

 

The Tigers used a 12-2 run to take a 64-62 lead with 4:30 remaining, and it seemed as though they were poised to pull off the upset. However, Tennessee had other plans.

 

Bowden scored 7 points over the final 3:30 of the game, including a pair of clutch free throws with 1:15 remaining to give Tennessee a 73-70 lead. The Volunteers would go on to hit 4 of 6 free throws over the final minute to seal the win.

 

“It was a big win for us,” said Bowden. “We didn’t play our best basketball, but we found a way to win. That’s what matters most.”

 

The win improves Tennessee’s record to 23-4 overall and 12-2 in Southeastern Conference (SEC) play. The Volunteers are now just one game behind Auburn for first place in the SEC standings.

 

LSU, meanwhile, falls to 17-10 overall and 8-6 in SEC play. The Tigers are now just one game ahead of Arkansas for fourth place in the SEC standings.

 

Tennessee will look to build on its momentum when it hosts the Arkansas Razorbacks on Saturday, February 29th. LSU, meanwhile, will look to bounce back when it travels to face the Ole Miss Rebels on Saturday, February 29th.

 

_Game Statistics:_

 

– Tennessee: Jordan Bowden (23 points), Yves Pons (16 points), John Fulkerson (14 points)

– LSU: Javonte Smart (22 points), Trendon Watford (18 points), Emmitt Williams (12 points)

– Rebounds: Tennessee (34), LSU (32)

– Assists: Tennessee (14), LSU (12)

– Turnovers: Tennessee (12), LSU (15)

 

_SEC Standings:_

 

– Auburn (13-1)

– Tennessee (12-2)

– Kentucky (11-3)

– LSU (8-6)

– Arkansas (7-7)