Year five of the Will Wade era opened with a bang.
Darius Days led LSU with a career-high 30 points as the Tigers opened the 2021-22 season with a 101-39 rout of UL-Monroe on Tuesday night in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
Days, one of only two seniors on the roster, and the only who played for LSU last season, also knocked down eight three-pointers.
The Tigers converted 12 of 29 from beyond the arc, good for 41 percent shooting on the night. Last season, LSU ranked 127th in the nation in three point percentage (.347).
With Cam Thomas moving on to the NBA after a sensational freshman campaign and the loss of Adam Miller to a knee injury during the preseason, LSU will need to find some consistent scoring from the outside.
Days, who has steadily improved each year in Baton Rouge, made 11 of his 13 shots (8-9 3PA) in just 22 minutes on the court. LSU has won 20 of its last 21 games when Days tops double figures.
Any doubt about the outcome was ended when the Tigers went on a 30-3 run to end the first half and take a 52-20 lead into the locker room at the break.
LSU’s rebuilt frontcourt gave fans plenty to look forward to. Freshman center Elton Reid scored 16 points in his debut, Tari Eason posted a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
The Tigers also got solid performances from the backcourt duo of Xavier Pinson and Eric Gaines. Both players had 10 points and seven assists on the night.
On their way to the fourth-largest victory in program history, LSU didn’t allow the Warhawks to do anything offensively.
UL-Monroe had nearly twice as many turnovers (25) as made baskets (13), with the Tigers racking up 14 steals and seven blocked shots.
When LSU wasn’t blocking shots, they were forcing misses. ULM’s 27.7 shooting percentage was the lowest allowed by the Tigers since their 96-43 win over Southeastern Louisiana last November.
Thomas Howell led the Warhawks with eight points.
LSU (1-0) next takes the court on Friday night, when they host Texas State at 7:00 pm.