LSU basketball snaps losing streak with home domination over Arkansas

mikey dilullo, lafayette daily advertiser

Sat, Feb 3, 2024, 8:31 PM·2 min read

LSU basketball had its back against the wall entering Saturday.

The Tigers had lost three straight games, and although two of them were close, a blowout on the road against Alabama stopped any positive momentum heading into the game against the Arkansas Razorbacks. Needing a win, LSU (12-9, 4-4 SEC) delivered one in dominant fashion, beating Arkansas (11-11, 2-7) at home, 95-74.

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The Tigers started hot, going on a 10-0 run after the Razorbacks scored the opening basket. From there, the first-half lead ballooned to as many as 21 points, and although there were dry spells – including a 6-0 Arkansas run just before halftime – the LSU lead was never really threatened.

The second half was much the same. When the Tigers' stars played in the second stanza, they ran the lead to nearly 30. The Razorbacks managed a few runs, but LSU's dominance was never really in doubt.

Feb 3, 2024; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; LSU Tigers guard Trae Hannibal (0) reacts to a play against the Arkansas Razorbacks the first half at Pete Maravich Assembly Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

Will Baker's top performance

The fifth-year center turned in arguably his best game in a Tigers uniform, starting with a near-perfect first half. Baker made 7 of 8 shot attempts, including three from beyond the arc, and led all scorers with 17 points by the time the half ended.

He kept it up in the second half, finishing with 25 points on 9-of-11 shooting, his second 20-point game since transferring to LSU and his first since the season opener in November.

Jalen Cook hot off the bench

After a poor offensive performance against Alabama in which he only made 4 of 13 shot attempts, the redshirt junior guard was relegated to the bench, ending a streak of nine consecutive starts since two-time transfers were ruled automatically eligible in December.

In his place was another two-time transfer in Trae Hannibal, making his first start of the season and just the seventh in his collegiate career. The move to the bench paid off for Cook: he finished with 20 points on 5-of-8 shooting, including 3-of-5 from three.

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School-record shooting

The Tigers shot 12-of-22 from deep and made some history while doing so. LSU made at least 10 3-pointers for the fifth straight game. Those five games set a new program record for most consecutive games making double-digit 3s.