Auburn ran into a buzzsaw on Saturday as LSU’s offense exploded for 104 points and took down Auburn 104-80. LSU’s 104 points were the most Auburn has allowed all season.
The orange and blue Tigers jumped out to a 5-0 lead to start the game, but LSU took the lead a few minutes later and never looked back.
“Man, I’m disappointed,” Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl said. “I thought we had a great game plan, a good week of preparation, I thought we were excited about playing. I understand that LSU and coming up Florida and coming up Tennessee and coming up Alabama they’re all playing and going to the NCAA Tournament, and it’s not that edge, tonight was the first night I saw it. That we just didn’t have that edge.”
LSU came into the game with the SEC’s second-best offense in terms of points per game, and that was on full display Saturday. The Bayou Bengals shot 53.4% from the floor and 50% from downtown.
LSU’s four-leading scorers coming into the game combined for 78 points on 50.9% shooting.
“So, I’m disappointed in our team, I’m disappointed in our play, I’m disappointed in our execution, I’m disappointed in our preparation, I’m disappointed in how we competed, I’m disappointed that guys weren’t excited about their matchup,” Pearl said. “Who wants Cam Thomas? Like, who wants him? Who wants Trendon [Watford]? Who wants Javonte [Smart]? And there just isn’t any of that and that’s a problem. So, as a result, we got whooped.”
With no postseason to play for, Pearl says it’s simply up to the players to show up and play hard, something that he didn’t see against LSU.
“Well, you know, it becomes -- it's a matter of pride,” Pearl said.
For Auburn, it was the Sharife Cooper show on offense with the freshman scoring 26. He did have a season-low two assists, though, and six turnovers.
Allen Flanigan chipped in with 13 points and JT Thor added 10. Cooper, Flanigan and Thor were the only Auburn players to score in double-figures.
Auburn now has to turn its attention to two-straight home games against Florida on Tuesday and Tennessee next Saturday,
FINAL STATS:
Sharife Cooper: 26 points, 9-17 FG, 0-4 3FG, 8-9 FT, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 6 TOs, 32 minutes, -15
Allen Flanigan: 13 points, 5-14 FG, 3-7 3FG, 5 assists, 3 rebounds, 35 minutes, -16
JT Thor: 10 points, 2-7 FG, 0-3 3FG, 6-6 FT, 5 rebounds, 4 blocks, 22 minutes, -9
Jamal Johnson: 9 points, 3-8 FG, 2-5 3FG, 21 minutes, -20
Devan Cambridge: 8 points, 3-9 FG, 2-6 3FG, 19 minutes, -14
Javon Franklin: 6 points, 1-5 FG, 4-4 FT, 7 rebounds, 3 blocks, 15 minutes, -10
Jaylin Williams: 4 points, 2-4 FG, 5 rebounds, 22 minutes, -11
Stretch Akingbola: 2 points, 1-2 FG, 3 rebounds, 8 minutes, -5
Dylan Cardwell: 2 points, 1-2 FG, 3 rebounds, 12 minutes, -13
Chris Moore: 0 points, 0-1 FG, 4 rebounds, 9 minutes, -13
Lior Berman: 0 points, 0-2 FG, 2 minutes, +3
Preston Cook: 0 points, 0-2 FG, 2 rebounds, 2 minutes, +3
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