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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) -- For a team with so much riding on a victory, LSU had a lot of trouble finishing off Mississippi.
Only after Collis Temple III fought his way through heavy
traffic to get a rebound with 30 seconds left and Lamont Roland hit two free throws with 24 seconds remaining could LSU (No. 16 ESPN/USA Today, No. 12 AP) be sure of clinching a 64-60 victory over Mississippi on Saturday.
|  | | Jabari Smith, who scored 11 points for LSU, shoots over Mississippi's Richard Kirklin. |
"I knew when I got into the game that I had to make some
contributions," Temple said. "Ole Miss played us extremely tough
the entire game. They reacted to the way we beat them earlier like they were supposed to."
The victory, the Tigers' ninth straight in the conference, gave
LSU (25-4, 12-4 Southeastern Conference) a share of the SEC title for the first time since 1990-91. It also sent the LSU fans to the floor to celebrate and the LSU players to the basket to cut it
down.
"It was a great view from up on that ladder," LSU coach John
Brady said. "I want to do it five more times, 10 more. I want to
do it again next year."
LSU became the first school since the SEC started divisional
play in 1991 to finish last one year and win the division title the
next. LSU clinched the SEC West Wednesday night.
The Tigers, 4-12 last year in the SEC, went from 11th in the
12-team league to co-champion this year.
"This has been like a storybook season," said Jabari Smith.
"I'm just glad we were able to put a happy ending on it. This is
the first time in my life that I cut down the nets."
LSU was leading 60-55 with 2:54 remaining, but Jason Harrison
hit a 3-point goal with 2:20 left to cut the lead to 60-58. LSU's
Smith made two free throws to pad the Tigers' lead to 62-58 with
2:01 left.
Jason Flanigan hit two free throws to move Mississippi to within
62-60 with 1:47 remaining. Temple's rebound with time running out
gave LSU possession and forced Mississippi to foul Roland, who gave
LSU an insurance lead as time ran out.
"I thought our kids came and really battled a good basketball
team," said Mississippi coach Rod Barnes. "LSU is awfully good
and awfully talented."
After trailing by as much as 14 points in the first half,
Mississippi (17-12, 5-11) outscored LSU 17-7 in the first 7:48 of
the second half. The Rebels took the lead for the first time on a
3-point basket by Jason Harrison with 12:22 left.
After losing by 44 points in the first meeting, Mississippi was
intent on slowing LSU's big men, Smith and Stromile Swift. That
made it a rough game _ Swift, Smith and Mississippi's Rahim
Lockhart all had four fouls early in the second half.
"I don't think we respected them the way we should," Smith
said. "We beat them so bad at their place, I think we just sort of
took winning for granted."
With the SEC tournament and the NCAA tournaments coming up,
Roland said LSU got a lesson along with a victory.
"I think we underestimated them after beating them the way we
did and knowing how good we usually play at home," Roland said.
"With the tournament coming up, this was definitely a lesson not
to take anyone for granted."
Roland led LSU with 16 points, Smith and Torris Bright each had
11 and Brian Beshera scored 10. Swift was held to just nine points
but had three blocks, including he slammed into the stands.
Flanigan led Mississippi with 14 points and Harrison had 12.
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ALSO SEE
Mens College Basketball Scoreboard
Mississippi Clubhouse
LSU Clubhouse
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