Tari Eason scored 18 points as No. 19 LSU easily remained unbeaten with an 89-49 rout of visiting Northwestern State on Tuesday night in Baton Rouge, La.
The Tigers are off to their first 10-0 start since winning the first 13 games of the 1999-2000 season. LSU also easily won its 26th straight game against an in-state opponent by taking command midway through the first half en route to its ninth double-double digit victory this year.
After winning Southeastern Conference player of the week honors, Eason followed up his 23-point game against Georgia Tech by scoring 13 points after halftime on Tuesday and making 7 of 9 shots overall.
LSU’s Xavier Pinson put up 13 of his 15 points in the first half. On the night, Pinson made three 3-pointers and added four assists to go along with four steals as the Tigers matched a season high with 17 steals.
Efton Reid posted a double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds as LSU compiled a 53-39 rebounding margin. Darius Days contributed 13 points and six boards, and Alex Fudge had six steals for the Tigers, who shot 44.6 percent and scored 50 points in the paint.
Kendal Coleman scored 16 points to lead the Demons (2-9). Cedric Garrett added 15 for Northwestern State, which shot 27.9 percent, committed 17 turnovers and absorbed its second blowout loss to a ranked opponent. The Demons fell 99-58 to then-No. 15 Houston on Nov. 30.
Brandon Murray’s layup gave the Tigers their first double-digit lead at 22-11, and a jumper by Eric Gaines gave LSU its first 20-point lead at 33-13 with 5:39 remaining in the half. The Tigers cruised into halftime with a 41-15 advantage.
The Tigers took their first 30-point lead when a 3-pointer by Days made it 48-18 nearly three minutes into the second half. LSU went up 40 for the first time on a three-point play by Murray that made it 73-33 with 8:36 to play.
–Field Level Media
