LSU put themselves in first place, but the rough calls and paint fights piled up and were the main difference makers in a 77-76 loss to the Arkansas Razorbacks.
With Jaylin Williams dominating inside the paint and giving the Razorbacks a myriad of second-chance buckets, the Tigers were left with no answer for the second-year forward.
An abysmal shooting performance from Arkansas at the gate, SEC Player of the Year nominee JD Notae let his playing ability give the Razorbacks a boost. Creating for others and operating from the pick and roll, his vision lost the Tigers.
Blitzing Notae every time he crossed half court opened up the game for other Razorbacks to make plays. LSU head coach Will Wade was simply willing for Arkansas to put the ball in other hands, reluctant to let Notae beat the Tigers single-handedly.
“We didn’t want to let [Notae] beat us,” Will Wade said after the game. “Stanley Umude did some huge shots but we wanted to do a better job on Notae. We did a terrible job on him the first game… We wanted to make sure we really limited Notae and I thought we did. for most of the night.
Senior guard Stanley Umude took over for the Razorbacks when they needed buckets the most. A night of effective shooting, Umude got his buckets as Notae couldn’t get anything rolling, finishing with 23 points.
Despite inconsistent guard play, Williams’ paint presence is what set the tone for Arkansas, getting into a rhythm early. Intimidating inside the paint and sometimes using finesse to end up in traffic, Williams was the difference maker for Arkansas.
Going into the tied half at 35, the heavyweight battle was about as even as Wade could have asked for.
Coming out of the gate in the second half, LSU was shot down from a cannon, going 7-0 to take a 42-35 lead. Darius Days knocking down shots and Brandon Murray working inside made for a deadly duo while Eason remained on the bench in bad shape.
For the Tigers, it was the Days and Eason spectacle for much of the second half. Each carrying the load offensively and feeding off each other was a relief to Xavier Pinson, who struggled for much of the game.
Turning 5 of 21 for the night, Pinson found other ways to get involved. Controlling the Razorbacks guards and throwing himself into the transition, his playmaking ability provides a calming effect on this team.
With Williams foul late in the second half for Arkansas, it opened up the paint for LSU, allowing Eason to get to his spots unscathed.
When the Tigers needed buckets on the stretch, Wade put the ball in the hands of his dynamic scorer. Doing what he does best, Tari Eason came down and slammed his way into the paint and bullied his defender.
After Eason committed a foul late in the second half, the Tigers offense couldn’t find a rhythm, looking shocked at times. Controlling much of the pace throughout the second half and having chances to pull away, the Tigers’ lackluster play kept Arkansas in it.
“Our problem is not staying in the game, it’s finishing a game,” Eason said after the game. “I think we have to make progress in this area and we will continue. But we have definitely taken a step in the right direction.
The Tigers have one with less than 20 seconds left, a critical foul on Mwani Wilkinson sent JD Notae over the line to freeze the game, ultimately putting the Razorbacks ahead to seal the deal in a battle between the two powerhouses.
In a hard-fought loss, the Tigers’ paint struggles were too much. Arkansas’ interior dominance was the difference late in the second half and changed the momentum in their direction.
“We played better tonight,” Wade said. “I think we are making progress towards the way we have to play. We just couldn’t finish it, which is hugely disappointing. I thought we deserved a little better tonight.
