Tigers make up for lost time

BOB HOLT
ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

BATON ROUGE, La. -- LSU still has a lot of catching up to do against Arkansas, but it appears the Razorbacks' days of dominating the Tigers are over.
The Tigers pounded the Razorbacks 96-75 Wednesday night before 10,851 fans at the Maravich Assembly Center to improve to 2-15 against Arkansas in SEC games.
LSU's only other SEC victory over Arkansas came three years ago, when they hung on to win 66-64 at home when Kareem Reid's last-second shot didn't fall.
The Tigers (15-3, 3-3) didn't have to sweat out Wednesday night's game as they built a 22-point lead early in the second half and led by as many as 28 points in assuring themselves of finishing with a winning record for the first time since the 1992-93 season.
LSU led 45-37 at halftime, then outscored the Razorbacks 14-0 to open the second half, including two three-pointers by 6-8 junior forward Brian Beshara and dunks by 6-9 sophomore forward Stromile Swift and 6-11 senior center Jabari Smith, to take a commanding 59-37 lead.
The Razorbacks didn't score in the second half until the 14:17 mark, when sophomore guard Brandon Dean hit a three-pointer to make it 59-40.
The Tigers stayed in control the rest of the game as the Razorbacks didn't draw closer than 18 points.
LSU's 21-point victory tied for Arkansas second-most lopsided SEC loss. They also lost by 21 points at Mississippi State in 1995 (83-62), while their most-lopsided SEC loss was by 25 points at Auburn (101-76) in 1996.
Beshara, whom Arkansas Coach Nolan Richardson said earlier this week he feared the most of all the Tigers' talented big men because of his ability to shoot from the perimeter, proved Richardson prophetic as he led the Tigers with 24 points, including hitting 5 of 7 three-pointers.
Swift scored 16 points and Smith had nine points and 12 rebounds.
Tigers freshman point guard Torris Bright handled Arkansas' pressure defensive well and finished with 13 points and seven assists.
Tigers freshman guard Ronald Dupree added 14 points
Senior guard Chris Walker led Arkansas (11-8, 3-3) with 22 points. Freshman forward Alonzo Lane had nine points and Dean added seven.
Razorbacks freshman guard Joe Johnson, who had scored a combined 50 points in the last two games against Alabama and Mississippi State, never got untracked and finished with just two points on 1-of-4 shooting from the field.
Razorbacks sophomore guard Teddy Gipson, who missed the previous two games because of his father's death, scored six points off the bench.
With a victory, Arkansas would have tied Auburn for first in the SEC West, but instead fell back to a second-place tie with LSU.
The Razorbacks struggled to score from the outside, didn't get enough points off turnovers and their inexperienced forwards -- including sophomore Dionisio Gomez, Lane and freshmen Carl Baker and Larry Satchell -- were no match for Beshara, Swift and Smith.
It was the first of three consecutive road games for the Razorbacks, who are off this weekend, then play at Ole Miss and Auburn next week.
LSU will go for another big victory on Saturday when the Tigers play host to No. 5 Arizona.
The Tigers jumped to a 20-6 lead over the Razorbacks the first five minutes as Swift scored LSU's first two baskets on an 18-foot jumper and dunk. Beshara scored nine points on two three-point baskets and a three-point play.
Dean and Gipson came off the bench and gave the Razorbacks an immediate lift. Dean scored on a drive and 12-foot jumper and Gipson scored on a drive and hit two free throws to help pull the Razorbacks within 25-17 with 11:42 left in the half.
LSU then got a three-point basket by junior guard Lamont Roland and layup by Smith on a fast break to push its lead to 30-17.
Arkansas then outscored LSU 14-1 over a 2:11 span, including three-pointers by Walker, to tie the game 31-31 on Gipson's 15-foot jump at the 7:19 mark.
The Tigers went ahead 36-31 on a three-point play by Beshara and two free throws by Swift.
Another three-pointer by Walker pulled Arkansas within 36-34.
The Tigers then stretched their lead to 45-36 as Beshara hit two free throws and Bright hit a three-pointer.

This article was published on Thursday, January 27, 2000

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