NEW YORK -- The University of Connecticut got out to the kind of start the LSU Tigers did not need in the first 10 minutes Wednesday night of its Dick’s Sporting Good NIT Season Tip-Off semifinal game as the Tigers lost, 81-55, at Madison Square Garden.
The Tigers, now 3-1 on the young season, will play the Arizona State-Duke loser in the third place game Friday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. The game will be televised on ESPN2 and available on the LSU Sports Radio Network.
Problems started early when Storm Warren got his first foul less than 30 seconds into the game. That would be a situation the coaching staff would have to deal with early as all three of LSU’s big players – Warren, Dennis Harris (who got his first collegiate start) and Garrett Green – picked up two founds in the first eight minutes of play.
It was during that point that UConn (4-0) would make its first big move of the game, going from 8-7 up to 21-10 as LSU made three successive turnovers in the span and missed five shots around the three turnovers.
LSU got it back to eight at 28-20, but the Huskies again had another run to go to the dressing room 45-29 as LSU shot just 35 percent (11-of-31) to 17-of-39 (43.6 percent) in the first half.
For the game, LSU would shoot 36.5 percent (23-of-63), but just 2-of-9 from the arc and 7-of-13 from the free throw line. LSU converted just one of seven possible two-shot opportunities on the night. UConn shot 50 percent (13-of-26) for the second half, 46 percent for the game and made 5-of-10 treys, while outrebounding LSU 49-36.
Storm Warren had a good game for LSU with 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting and seven rebounds, both team highs. He was the only player in double figures as Tasmin Mitchell hit nine and Chris Bass seven. Bo Spencer was limited to just 26 minutes after missing the last 14 minutes with what appeared to be a sprained ankle. His status is day-to-day.
Jerome Dyson and Kemba Walker, the two Connecticut guards, led the 13th ranked Huskies with 20 points each and five assists each, while Stanley Robinson had 14 points and 11 rebounds. Gavin Edwards off the bench hit 6-of-7 field goals to finish with 15 points and four blocks.
Freshman Eddie Ludwig played probably his best game of the young season with six points and six rebounds in 21 minutes.
