The Sports Xchange
Dec 22, 2017
Freshman Tremont Waters had 15 points and 10 assists and LSU dominated North Florida throughout a 104-52 non-conference victory Friday night in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, La.
The Tigers took the lead for good less than six minutes into the game, grabbed a commanding 31-point halftime lead and led by 50 or more points for much of the second half.
Duop Reath scored 15 points, Aaron Epps had 13 and Daryl Edwards 10 as 11 of the 13 Tigers who played scored.
Trip Day was the only Osprey to score in double figures, finishing with 11 points.
LSU (8-3) won for the fifth time in six games and improved to 7-1 at home. The Tigers concluded a stretch of five games in 13 days.
North Florida (5-10) lost its third straight. It fell to 0-21 all-time against SEC teams, having already lost to Florida and Missouri this season.
Both teams have an extended beak for Christmas before resuming non-conference play. LSU next plays Dec. 28 at Memphis and North Florida's next game is Dec. 30 at Mississippi State.
The Tigers beat the Ospreys for the third consecutive season, having won 119-108 two years ago and 78-70 last season in the only previous meeting between the two programs.
Brandon Sampson returned from a six-game absence due to a sprained ankle and almost immediately made a 3-pointer that gave LSU a 13-11 lead with 14:15 left in the first half. That started an 11-0 run.
Day made a 3-pointer to end a six-minute scoring drought for the Ospreys and cut the deficit to 21-14.
The Tigers responded with a 15-0 run during which Reath and Edwards scored six points each.
Day's free throw ended that run before LSU closed with an 18-8 run to take a 54-23 halftime lead.