Brandon Murray scored 21 points and No. 19 LSU ended a three-game losing streak by scoring the last nine points of a 70-64 victory over Texas A&M on Wednesday night in Baton Rouge, La.
Eric Gaines added 16 points and Tari Eason, the leading scorer for the Tigers who was making his first start of the season, had 14 despite missing most of the second half because of an apparent leg injury.
LSU (16-4, 4-4 SEC) played without starting point guard Xavier Pinson, who missed his fifth consecutive game because of a sprained knee, and second-leading scorer Darius Days, who was sidelined by a sprained ankle that hampered him during the last two games.
Quenton Jackson scored 20 points, Andre Gordon added 18 and Tyrece Radford had 14 to lead the Aggies (15-5, 4-3), who lost their third straight after starting 4-0 in conference play.
Mwani Wilkinson’s 3-pointer pulled LSU even at 64 with 1:18 left. Gaines broke the tie by making two free throws, Murray added two and Gaines made two more to complete the scoring as Texas A&M missed its last six shots during the final 55 seconds.
Radford made consecutive 3-pointers to start the second-half scoring and give the Aggies a 37-34 lead.
Murray made a jumper to tie the score and Texas A&M took a 43-40 lead.
Eason returned after going to the locker room briefly and made two free throws and a layup, ending a five-minute field-goal drought to give the Tigers a 44-43 lead. Eason would later leave the game for good.
Radford’s three-point play and a 3-pointer by Jackson helped the Aggies take a 51-46 lead.
LSU got within one point twice, but the Aggies answered twice before the Tigers caught and passed them.
–Field Level Media
