FAYETTEVILLE, AR. – LSU battled back-and-forth with No. 20 Arkansas for 40 minutes Saturday afternoon but lost 85-81 to the Razorbacks at Bud Walton Arena.
Star point guard Dedan Thomas Jr. made his first SEC start and second SEC appearance after recovering from a lower leg injury. He played 31 minutes, scoring 18 points and dishing out five assists.
LSU led for 26:25 and held a 37-33 halftime advantage, fueled by strong defense and paint control. The Tigers extended their lead to eight points early in the second half, but Arkansas responded with accurate shooting and a late surge led by Darius Acuff to secure the win.
All five LSU starters scored in double figures. Michael Nwoko contributed 14 points and five rebounds. Max Mackinnon added 14 points, continuing to challenge opposing defenses. Marquel Sutton scored 11 points, going a perfect seven-for-seven at the free throw line. Pablo Tamba recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds,shooting four-of-four from the field and three-of-four from the free throw line.
LSU dominated the rebounding battle 36-28 and outscored Arkansas in the paint 42-36 and in second-chance points 20-8, keeping the game competitive.
Darius Acuff Jr. led Arkansas with a game-high 31 points, including four three-pointers. The Razorbacks shot 56.7 percent from the field and 10-of-22 from beyond the arc, hitting crucial shots in the final five minutes.
LSU shot 45.9 percent from the floor and made 22-of-25 free throws, but was limited to just three three-pointers. Despite forcing eight Arkansas turnovers and creating fast-break opportunities, LSU couldn’t overcome Arkansas’ late shooting performance.
LSU led 37-33 at halftime after a tightly contested first half.
