Max Mackinnon scored 19 points to lead six LSU scorers in double figures as the Tigers dominated Tarleton State to win their season opener 96-60 on Wednesday night in Baton Rouge, La.
Dedan Thomas Jr. added 16 points and eight assists for the Tigers. Marquel Sutton, the 2024-25 Summit League Player of the Year at Omaha, had 13 points in his LSU debut. Michael Nwoko and Jalen Reed scored 11 each, and Robert Miller III put up 10.
Kade Douglas scored 19 points, Freddy Hicks had 12, and AJ Dent Jr. and Matyas Vrabel added 10 each off the bench for the Texans (0-2), who began their season with a 96-76 loss to SMU on Monday in Dallas.
The Tigers, who had a 48-26 edge in points in the paint, shot 70.2% from the floor and the Texans shot 32.3%, though Tarleton State did manage a 39-33 advantage in bench scoring.
LSU scored the first four points of the second half to grab a 20-point lead, and the margin grew to 25 on a three-point play by Thomas with 14:36 to go.
The Texans crept within 19, but the Tigers expanded the lead to 72-41 on a basket by Nwoko midway through the half.
The final margin matched the biggest lead of the game.
Mackinnon’s 3-pointer broke a 6-all tie and put LSU in front for good. Miller and Reed added consecutive layups to push the lead to 13-6.
Vrabel made a layup to end the run, but Mackinnon made three free throws, Sutton sank a 3-pointer and converted a three-point play and Reed added a 3-pointer to give the Tigers a 25-11 lead.
The Texans trimmed the deficit to 10 points twice before Miller’s dunk and two free throws as well as Mackinnon’s layup gave LSU a 34-18 lead. Thomas’ layup pushed the gap to 20 points, and the Tigers matched that margin before Tarleton State reduced the deficit to 47-31 entering halftime.
LSU coasted the rest of the way.
–Field Level Media
