Tag: Javonte Smart

LSU basketball defeats Sam Houston State

The LSU basketball team defeated the Sam Houston State Bearkats 88-66 behind 25 points from Javonte Smart.

The LSU Tigers men’s basketball team defeated the Sam Houston State Bearkats 88-66 on Monday inside the Pete Maravich Assembly Center without head coach Will Wade, who couldn’t attend due to concerns surrounding COVID-19.

Javonte Smart led the Tigers with 25 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals. Freshman guard Cam Thomas scored 19 points and Darius Days added 16 to lift LSU to the 22-point win.

With the victory, LSU moves to 4-1 on the season. Sam Houston State falls to 3-4 with the loss.

The Bearkats were led by Demarkus Lampley with 16 points, two rebounds and two assists.

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The Tigers led 45-37 at halftime, up by 10 points in the final minute of the first half.

In the second half, the Tigers outscored Sam Houston State 43-29 to seal the victory.

The Tigers shot 48.5% from the floor on 33-of-68 shooting. The Bearkats shot 36.5% on 23-of-63 shooting. LSU finished the game 33.3% from behind the free throw line and Sam Houston State finished at 25% on 8-of-32 from beyond the arc.

LSU’s largest lead was 22 points in the second half. The Bearkats never held a lead in the game.

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From the free throw line, LSU shot 82.4% on 14-of-17 free throw attempts. Sam Houston State shot 80% at the line on 12-of-15 shooting.

Next up, LSU hosts the New Orleans Privateers on Wednesday inside the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. Tip off is scheduled for 8 pm CST on SEC Network. Following Wednesday’s game, the Tigers have two non-conference games against North Texas and VCU to wrap up non-conference play before SEC play opens on December 29.

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LSU basketball dominates Louisiana Tech in Sunday contest

The LSU Tigers basketball team defeated Louisiana Tech 86-55 behind 18 points from sophomore Trendon Watford.

The LSU Tigers basketball team defeated the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs 86-55 on Sunday inside the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.

Tigers sophomore guard Trendon Watford led the team in scoring with 18 points on 4-of-7 shooting from the floor. Cam Thomas and Javonte Smart both scored 16 points in the win. Thomas finished the game shooting 5-of-11 and Smart went 6-of-9 including 4-of-6 from behind the three point line.

Louisiana Tech was led by Kenneth Lofton Jr., who scored 17 points off the bench on 6-of-8 shooting.

LSU improves to 3-1 with the win and Louisiana Tech suffered its first loss to fall to 3-1.

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As a team, LSU finished the game shooting 54.2% from the floor on 26-of-48 shots. The Tigers shot 40% from the three point line, going 8-of-20 in the win.

Louisiana Tech never held a lead during the game. LSU’s largest lead was 33 points during the game. Will Wade’s team had 42 rebounds on the defensive end of the floor and 46 on the offensive end.

LSU led 43-24 at halftime and outscored the Bulldogs 43-31 in the second half to seal the 31 point victory.

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The Tigers’ defense looked improved during the game, but the offense was the key story following the victory.

Freshman guard Jalen Cook scored 10 points off the bench to contribute in the win. He shot 3-of-4 from the floor on Sunday.

LSU travels to Atlanta to face the South Florida Bulls on Saturday in the Pitt Boss Grills Holiday Hoopsgiving tournament at State Farm Arena.

That game is slated for a 1:30 pm CST tip off next weekend.

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LSU basketball falls to Saint Louis, 85-81 in Saturday matchup

The LSU Tigers basketball team lost against Saint Louis 85-81 on Saturday despite 25 points from freshman Cameron Thomas.

The LSU Tigers played the final game of the Billikens Classic in Saint Louis, Missouri on Saturday against the Saint Louis Billikens.

After the Tigers defeated SIU-Edwardsville on Thursday, the Billikens defeated LSU 85-81 on Saturday.

LSU falls to 1-1 on the season while the Billikens move to 2-0.

LSU was led by freshman guard Cameron Thomas with 25 points. Trendon Watford finished the game with 24 points on 8-of-12 shooting and Javonte Smart had 18 points on 6-of-8 shooting.

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The Billikens led 38-28 at the half. LSU shot 53.8% from the floor on 28-of-52 shooting as a team. Saint Louis shot 55.4% on 31-of-56 from the floor.

With four seconds remaining in the second half, LSU trailed 83-81 but fouled Javonte Perkins on a two-point attempt to give the Billikens a chance to extend the lead. Perkins made both free throws to give Saint Louis an 85-81 lead.

Darius Days rebounded a missed shot by Watford down 83-79 to pull the Tigers within two points. But the final moments of the game saw the Tigers lose control of the possession which led to the foul on Perkins.

Thomas had 21 points in the second half to pull the Tigers within a four-point differential after he scored 27 in his first career game on Thursday.

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The Tigers wasted time off the clock with eight seconds remaining before committing a foul that could have given them more time to get a better shot selection to try and potentially tie the game.

LSU returns to action on Monday inside the Pete Maravich Assembly Center as they host Southeastern Louisiana at 7 pm CT on SEC Network+.

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LSU basketball unranked in AP college basketball preseason Top 25

On Tuesday, the AP released its preseason Top 25 for college basketball, and the LSU Tigers are the first team out.

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On Tuesday, the AP released its preseason Top 25 for college basketball, and the LSU Tigers are the first team out.

The Tigers finished the 2019-20 season with a 21-10 record and would have made the NCAA Tournament before coronavirus canceled the post-season. The team finished 12-6 in SEC play. Inside the Pete Maravich Assembly Center, LSU finished 15-2 and 5-6 on the road last year.

LSU comes into 2020-21 with a loaded roster after going over the 20-win mark last season.

Coach Will Wade signed five commitments to the 2020 class, and the team finished sixth nationally and third in the SEC in recruiting.

The class includes Cameron Thomas, Mwani Wilkinson, Eric Gaines, Jalen Cook, and Josh Gray.

The Tigers also got commits from three transfers. Shareef O’Neal, the son of LSU and NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal, transferred to the Tigers from UCLA. Josh LeBlanc committed to the Tigers after leaving Georgetown and Bryan Penn-Johnson transferred to LSU from Washington after one season with the Huskies.

LSU returns sophomore Trendon Watford, junior Javonte Smart, junior Darius Days, sophomore Aundre Hyatt, and senior Charles Manning Jr.

Here is the AP Pre-Season Top 25.

  1. Gonzaga
  2. Baylor
  3. Villanova
  4. Virginia
  5. Iowa
  6. Kansas
  7. Wisconsin
  8. Illinois
  9. Duke
  10. Kentucky
  11. Creighton
  12. Tennessee
  13. Michigan State
  14. Texas Tech
  15. West Virginia
  16. North Carolina
  17. Houston
  18. Arizona State
  19. Texas
  20. Oregon
  21. Florida State
  22. UCLA
  23. Ohio State
  24. Rutgers
  25. Michigan

LSU received 146 votes, but just missed the Top 25. The Tigers come in at No. 26 to begin the season.

The Tigers tip off the 2020-21 season on November 25 in Lincoln, Nebraska in a multi-team event.

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LSU guard Javonte Smart named to Bob Cousy Award Watch List

LSU junior guard Javonte Smart was named to the Bob Cousy Point Gaurd of the Year award watch list on Tuesday.

LSU junior guard Javonte Smart was named to the Bob Cousy Point Gaurd of the Year award watch list on Tuesday.

A 6-foot-4 junior from Scotlandville Magnet High School in Baton Rouge, Smart played in all 31 games last season for the Tigers, averaging 12.5 points per game and leading the team in assists with 129.

Smart has played in 65 games in his two-year career, averaged 11.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game.

LSU is expected to have a strong team in 2020-21, with three starters returning and the No. 6 recruiting class in the country, per 247Sports.

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The Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year award was created in 2004, and Oregon’s Payton Pritchard won the award in 2019-20.

Cousy, who played his college basketball at Holy Cross, starred at point guard for the Boston Celtics from 1950-63, winning six NBA championships. Cousy was elected into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1971.

A national committee consisting of some of the top personnel in college basketball determines the 20 players on the watch list, and Smart is the only SEC player on the list.

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Three LSU basketball players returning for 2020

A trio of important names is returning to LSU basketball for the upcoming season.

On Monday, LSU basketball received word from three of the program’s star players- Javonte Smart, Trendon Watford, and Darius Days- that they would be withdrawing their names from the 2020 NBA draft and returning to the program.

This is huge news for Will Wade’s team going into the 2020-2021 season with a stacked recruiting class. The returning players complete a deep roster for the Tigers.

Smart, a rising junior guard, averaged 12.5 points per game and led the Tigers in assists last season. His return gives the Tigers an extra guard to replace point guard Skylar Mays, who departed due to graduation.

Watford comes in entering his sophomore season after having one of the best seasons ever by a freshman in the SEC. The former five-star recruit led the team in rebounds with 7.2 per game and scored 13.6 points per game, finishing second on the roster behind Mays.

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Days averaged 11.1 points per game last season, finishing fifth on the team in that category. He was the rotational big man with Emmitt Williams, and could likely hold that spot this season.

Wade getting three of his starters back from last season could put the Tigers in a prime position to win the SEC outright this season. Last year, the Tigers went 21-10, and finished tied for second in the conference with a 12-6 record in SEC play.

Wade also brought in the No. 6 nationally ranked recruiting class. The class is led by shooting guard Cameron Thomas and transfers Shareef O’Neal and Josh LeBlanc.

The Tigers were a lock for the NCAA Tournament before the coronavirus pandemic shut down all collegiate sports. Going into the 2020-21 season, LSU hopes for their chance to make another trip to the big dance and make a run at an SEC Championship.

It will be interesting to see just how far the trio of Watford, Smart, and Days can take the Tigers in 2020 along with the newcomers on the roster.

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