|
 Markus Kennedy scored 13 points and grabbed six rebounds and
Keith Frazier and Shawn Williams added 11 points apiece for SMU
(25-9), which shot 58 percent and connected on 9-of-14 from 3-point
range. The Region 1 top-seeded Mustangs will host either No. 2 seed
California or No. 3 Arkansas on Wednesday night with the winner
earning a trip to Madison Square Garden for the NIT semifinals on
April 1.
Johnny O'Bryant III scored 16 points and had seven rebounds to lead
fifth-seeded LSU (20-14). Andre Stringer came off the bench to score
15 points, making five 3-pointers, while Jordan Mickey finished with
14 points and four blocks and Jarell Martin chipped in with 10
points and seven rebounds for the Tigers.
SMU came into the contest ranked fifth nationally in field-goal
percentage defense (37.7) but LSU shot 48.4 percent from the floor,
including 5-of-10 from beyond the 3-point arc, while building a
40-35 halftime lead. The Tigers led by as many as 10 points on a
highlight-reel fast-break dunk by Martin off a lob pass from point
guard Anthony Hickey, but the Mustangs closed the half with a 7-2
run highlighted by a pair of 3-pointers by Russell.
Moore scored 11 consecutive points to fuel a opening 13-3
second-half spurt to put SMU ahead, 48-43. O'Bryant's free throw cut
the Mustang lead to 50-47, but SMU answered with a 17-6 run over the
next nine minutes to take control of the game and LSU never got
closer than 10 points the rest of the way.
GAME NOTEBOOK: SMU improved to 17-1 at home this season. ... The
Mustangs finished with 22 assists on their 33 field goals, just one
off their season high. ... Stringer finished the season with 74
3-pointers, eighth-best in school history.
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2014 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |
