All things considered, Missouri played comparatively well on Tuesday night.
After losing its last three road games by 23, 12 and 17 points respectively, Missouri shot the ball well from 3-point range and led for the most of the game. It wasn’t enough, however, to beat No. 25 LSU (18-6, 9-2 SEC), as the Tigers (11-13, 3-8 SEC) lost 82-78.
Success from behind the arc has been hit-or-miss for Missouri all season. The Tigers had a hit on Wednesday, connecting on nine of 21, including 7-13 in the first half en route to a 43-37 halftime lead.
After a strong performance Saturday against Arkansas, freshman Tray Jackson continued his solid play, showing off the athleticism he’s flashed throughout the season with accuracy from outside, knocking down both attempts from 3-point range.
Despite a steady overall game, fouling continued to plague the Tigers. By the end of the first half, four players had at least two fouls, including Reed Nikko — who eventually fouled out — with three. Missouri finished the game having committed 25 fouls. LSU took advantage, shooting 29-34 from the free throw line.
After going down 43-31 with just over a minute left in the first half, LSU went on a 10-0 run extending into the second half. The purple-clad Tigers couldn’t close the deficit any more than that, however. Missouri maintained its lead until there were five minutes left in the game, but LSU chipped away and stayed competitive for long enough to take control at the end.
LSU took the lead on a 3-pointer from Darius Days and didn’t trail for the rest of the game, all but sealing it on a Days hook shot with 25 seconds left after two offensive rebounds.
Missouri returns home for its next game, taking on No. 11 Auburn at 5 p.m. CDT on Saturday.
_Edited by Eli Hoff | ehoff@themaneater.com_
