Field Level Media
Nov 22, 2021
Tari Eason came off the bench to score 15 points and LSU completed a sweep of its season-opening, five-game homestand by defeating Belmont 83-53 on Monday night in Baton Rouge, La.
Brandon Murray scored 15 points, Xavier Pinson added 14 and Efton Reid had 12 for the Tigers, who have won all of their games by at least 16 points.
Will Richard scored 16 and Ben Sheppard added 14 to lead the Bruins (3-2), who shot just 32.3 percent from the floor and 25.6 percent on 3-point attempts.
LSU, which has held each of its opponents to fewer than 60 points, plays out of town for the first time when it meets Penn State on Friday in the Emerald Classic in Niceville, Fla.
The Tigers, who shot 54.2 percent from the floor, scored the first seven points of the second half to take a 43-23 lead.
Tate Pierson ended Belmont's drought with a 3-pointer, and Sheppard added a layup to cut the deficit to 15.
Eason had two layups and a dunk during a 14-0 run that gave LSU a 60-30 lead midway through the half.
Richard's layup ended the run, but the Tigers built the margin to 34 before Richard made a 3-pointer.
LSU took its largest lead at 79-40 on a layup by Alex Fudge.
Richard made two 3-pointers as the Bruins scored the first seven points of the game.
Eason had two baskets and Pinson made a 3-pointer during an 18-2 run that gave the Tigers an 18-9 lead.
Belmont's Frank Jakubicek made a layup, but Pinson answered with seven consecutive points to give LSU a 25-11 lead.
Sheppard scored five points to help Belmont get within 11, but Efton Reid made consecutive baskets to help the Tigers increase the lead to 33-16.
Te Bruins closed within 36-23 at halftime as Sheppard concluded the first-half scoring with a 3-pointer.
--Field Level Media