Field Level Media
Nov 6, 2018
Naz Reid scored 15 of his team-high 17 points in the first half, and fellow freshman Emmitt Williams added 12 points and 10 rebounds to lift No. 23 LSU to a 94-63, season-opening victory over Southeastern Louisiana on Tuesday night at Baton Rouge, La.
Reid, a five-star recruit, is part of a No. 4-ranked recruiting class put together by LSU coach Will Wade. The 6-foot-10 forward, who played the point at Roselle (N.J.) Catholic High School last year, showed speed, strength and shooting touch from the outside.
Williams, a 6-foot-7 four-star recruit, also had an impressive college debut. Williams showed leaping ability and played well inside, connecting on 5 of 7 field-goal attempts. Marlon Taylor added 15 points off the bench for LSU.
LSU, which wants to push the pace and score more than its 77.5-point average last season, led 48-18 at the half and coasted home. The Tigers held Southeastern scoreless in the first 4:23 and without a field goal for six minutes later in the first half.
Southeastern freshman Parker Edwards supplied some late-game fireworks, scoring a game-high 25 points, all in the final 10 minutes of the second half. He was 7 of 9 from the field, including 6 of 8 from long range. The LSU home crowd gave him an ovation when he went to the bench in the final minute.
LSU started three point guards -- Tremont Waters, Skylar Mays and Ja'vonte Smart -- and two forwards. Waters finished with nine points and five steals. Mays had 11 points. Smart, a freshman from Scotlandville High School in Baton Rouge and three-time Mr. Basketball in Louisiana, had 10 points.
The Tigers shot 48.5 percent from the field while holding Southeastern to 40.7 percent shooting. LSU also outrebounded the Lions 43-32 and had 13 steals.
Southeastern's leading scorer from last year, guard Marlain Veal, was held to one point, missing all five of his shots.
--Field Level Media