Sam Houston St. Bearkats vs Louisiana State Tigers Match Player Stats On Dec 14, 2020

Ja'Vonte Smart scored 25 points and LSU overcame the absence of head coach Will Wade to defeat Sam Houston State 88-66 on Monday in Baton Rouge, La.

LSU announced Monday morning that Wade would not coach the team and would be replaced by associate head coach Bill Armstrong. Wade later told The Advocate that he tested positive for coronavirus last week.

The Tigers had to cancel their scheduled game against South Florida on Saturday because of COVID contact tracing and quarantining.

That led LSU to schedule the Monday morning game against Sam Houston, which had lost a game at Houston last week because of COVID issues within the Cougars program.

LSU (4-1) also played without star forward Trendon Watford, who has an ankle injury. Cam Thomas added 19 points and Darius Days had 16 points and 10 rebounds.

Demarkus Lampley scored 16 and Zach Nutall added 13 for the Bearkats (3-4).

Jarren Cook began the second-half scoring with a 3-pointer that pulled Sam Houston within 45-40, but LSU quickly built the lead to 14 on three occasions. Mwani Wilkinson's dunk gave the Tigers a 60-46 lead.

Bryce Monroe made a 3-pointer and another jumper before Lampley made a layup to get the Bearkats within 66-58 with 8:54 remaining.

Sam Houston went nearly four minutes without scoring, but LSU managed just two baskets during the drought. The Bearkats closed within 70-62, but Smart answered with seven consecutive points to put the Tigers in control.

The score was tied at five before LSU started a series of first-half runs. Smart had three baskets during a 13-2 run that gave the Tigers an 18-7 lead.

Cook's 3-pointer ended the run before Smart had four points and an assist on Days' 3-pointer for a 25-10 lead.

Javion May's three-point play ended that run before Cook scored seven straight points to give LSU a 32-15 lead.

The Tigers extended the lead to 18 twice before the Bearkats ended the half on a run of their own.

Lampley hit a jumper and two 3-pointers during a 14-4 run over the final five minutes. That left LSU with a 45-37 halftime lead.

--Field Level Media