LSU again best in the second half; Beats Florida State in the SEC/ACC Challenge, 85-75 – LSU

LSU vs. Florida State
December 3, 2024

LSU head coach Matt McMahon

Opening speech…
“I’m really proud of our players. I found their commitment enormous. Very reserved defensively. Ball security was a big problem upon arrival. Florida State (University) ranks third in the nation in forcing turnovers and we were able to limit them to 11. I just thought our guys were really competitive. Once again, it is an honor for our players to score 53 points in the second half against such a disruptive Florida State defense and we are grateful for the win. (LSU forward) Jalen Reed, you saw the injury was a minute and a half later, has a sprained knee and he will be evaluated tomorrow and I will provide another update once those tests are completed.”

How impressed he was with the performance on the court after Jalen Reed went down…
“I thought they all contributed to the win. (LSU forward) Daimion (Collins) actually only had one day of practice under his belt after dislocating his shoulder, and he came out and blocked four shots, had some nice finishes on goal and got three offensive rebounds. (LSU forward) Corey (Chest), again I thought he was fantastic defensively and then he gets you 10 rebounds. (LSU forward) Derek (Fountain), I thought he really came in. He was plus-three in his segment in the first half. But I’ll tell you, I thought it was a big moment in the game; I think they had the number down to four, and (LSU forward) Robert Miller is getting back-to-back rebound putbacks on offense, and I thought he was fantastic defensively as well. So I thought that would be a big key for us.”

LSU guard Jordan Sears

If he plays differently when there’s a bigger guy against him…
“No not really. I just play with my heart. That’s the greatest thing about me. It doesn’t matter if he’s 1.90 meters or 1.75 meters tall, it doesn’t matter to me. I accept the challenge no matter what happens.”

About the preparation and confidence after a win like this…
“We’ve been preparing all week. We hook up and watch film and it’s a credit to us and also to our coaches to give us a game plan and then we just go out and play basketball. We just play freely and have fun.”

LSU guard Cam Carter

On the team’s approach to attacking its defense…
“It all started with practice. We have to give credit to our scout team. They prepared us really well for this game. With the change from 1 to 5 they put a lot of pressure on us, but we knew how to attack.”

How he felt after the tip…
“I told my teammates yesterday before the game that I was on time, but that really comes from God. Playing with confidence means having faith. It really is.”

LSU guard Vyctorius Miller

On the difference between his first half and his second half…
“First I want to thank Jesus Christ because I feel like there was a lot going on. I had an exam and an essay this morning, and all of that plays a role in my performance. I realized my team needed me and they picked me up when I had a slow performance in the first half. That’s what they’re here for.”

—
Leonard Hamilton, Florida State head coach

Opening speech…
“You have to give credit to LSU. I thought they kept their composure. I’ve been doing this for a long time and I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a team maintain their composure and come out in the second half with a different play and a change. Since we went one through five in the first half, I thought they were trying to keep us off the dribble, get into the lane and create a kick. Our big boys did a pretty good job of containing the dribble in this case. So they just made a backup. I mean, they stood back and made threes with confidence, but I’m not really sure I can let my players even shoot. That’s a compliment for her.

“They were the best version of who they are and we didn’t make the same adjustment by moving a little further out and forcing them to put the ball on the floor – they just backed off.” If they can keep that up night after night, they will be a tough task for many of the teams they face. That’s a compliment to them for making this adjustment. Instead of driving and kicking like they did in the first half, they just backed off, and that’s a great strategy for the type of team he has. I felt like this was a learning experience for us, no doubt about that. We are the type of team that needs a full complement of players to be successful.

“Defensively I thought we didn’t attack them that well, especially in the second half when they attacked us. We haven’t maintained the same level of poise as them, and that’s a compliment to them. My hat goes off to them. Coach (McMahon) is doing a great job and I think if they can continue to improve and not suffer as many injuries as (Jalen) Reed, I think they will be a real factor in the SEC race. ”