The LSU Tigers let another game slip out of their hands on Saturday afternoon in front of a raucous crowd inside the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. After being up by as much as 14 points against the top-ranked Oklahoma Sooners (18-2, 6-2 Big 12), the Tigers dropped a tough one in the final seconds by the score of 77-75.
The Tigers and the Sooners spent the first few minutes of the first half feeling each other out, but LSU was able to 13-5 run late in the first half to head into the locker room at the end of the first half with a 44-36 lead.
LSU started out with a solid lead early on, leading Oklahoma by as much as 14 points with 15:56 remaining in the second half. But the Sooners were able to rally back with Buddy Hield draining seven threes. The Tigers tied it up with 24 seconds left off of a clutch trey by Antonio Blakeney. But Isaiah Cousins hit the game winner off a jumper with four seconds left and a subsequent miss by Tim Quarterman to hand the Tigers a tough loss over the top-ranked Sooners.
Quarterman led the Tigers with 18 points and went a perfect five-for-five from the arc. The junior guard also had six boards, four assists, one block and two steals on the afternoon.
Hield led the Sooners with another Wooden award worthy performance with 32 points, seven boards, one assist, and one steal.
The Tigers (13-8, 6-2 SEC) will return to conference play on Tuesday, leaving the friendly confines of the PMAC to take on Auburn (9-11, 3-5 SEC)
-Clint Domingue