The Tigers shot only 39.3% from the field, and turned the ball over 19 times. Still, LSU prevailed over the home South Carolina Gamecocks.

Coach Jones was not happy with the teams performance the past week. With that in mind he made significant changes to the starting lineup. Insert Malik Morgan and Shavon Coleman. Malik led the team with 4 assists and 2 blocks. He added 2 steals and 8 points. Coleman led the team with 6 defensive rebounds and added 5 points. But the biggest impact of the change was Jarell Martin coming off the bench.

"Coming off the bench I felt really relaxed. As the game was going on, I got really comfortable with everything and started knocking down shots and getting to the free throw line." Martin ended the game with multiple career highs. He had 18 points on 5 of 6 shooting and 7 of 8 from the free throw line. He also contributed 6 rebounds a block and 5 steals.

Martin played remarkably well in a game where Jordan Mickey and Johnny O'Bryant struggled through most of the game. Late in the first half Mickey finally got his groove together using a pump fake to throw down a dunk as well as finding a couple easy shots in the paint, but O'Bryant really got him working well midway through the second half. O'Bryant made a few very nice post moves that forced the Gamecocks to double team and O'Bryant had a stretch of three straight possessions in which he hit open teammates for easy looks.

Mickey and O'Bryant both ended the game with 13 points to join Martin as the only 3 players in double figures. The duo of Hickey and Stringer once again did not commit a turnover as Hickey had an ast:to of 2:0 and Stringer went 1:0. Unfortunately, early turnovers plagued the LSU big men. (Coleman, Mickey, and JOB combined for 14 of the 19 LSU turnovers) It was only the second game this season where LSU won the game despite scoring less than 1 point per possession (McNeese). Still, the Tigers won an SEC road game to help make up for their home loss to Tennessee.

Be on the lookout for my SEC Basketball round-up later to see where LSU stands in the SEC.

Filed Under: LSU Basketball