Furman Paladins vs Louisiana State Tigers Match Player Stats On Dec 21, 2018

Tremont Waters scored 20 points and dished out seven assists, and Skylar Mays added 16 points and four steals to lift LSU to a 75-57 victory over previously unbeaten No. 24 Furman on Friday night in Baton Rouge, La.

Kavell Bigby-Williams had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds for LSU (9-3). The Tigers relied on a size advantage to nearby double Furman in rebounds and shoot 55.4 percent (31 of 56) from the field, compared with 37.5 percent (21 of 56) for the Paladins.

Furman (12-1) was led by Andrew Brown with 15 points, Jordan Lyons with 13 and Alex Hunter with 12. The Paladins, normally an excellent 3-point shooting team, were held to 9 of 31 (29 percent) from long range.

LSU used a 9-3 run in the first 2 1/2 minutes of the second half to extend its lead to 40-30. Mays nailed a 3-pointer from the top of the key and then, following a Waters steal at halfcourt, slammed home a dunk off an alley-oop feed from Waters.

The Tigers widened their lead to 45-32, but soon Furman got 3-pointers from Lyons and Noah Gurley to make it 47-41.

LSU closed the game on a 26-13 run.

Despite committing 14 first-half turnovers, LSU led 31-27 behind 54 percent shooting from the floor and an early rim-running streak by Mays, who scored eight points in the first 10 minutes.

For the second consecutive game, Waters came off the bench as LSU coach Will Wade held him out to watch the pace of the game in an attempt to cut down on his turnovers. Waters scored a team-high 10 first-half points, but he still had trouble protecting the ball, committing four of the Tigers' 14 first-half turnovers.

Furman struggled in the first half, hitting just 10 of 28 shots from the floor, including 4 of 16 from 3-point range. The Paladins' 27 points in the first half tied for their fewest in a half this season.

Furman's Clay Mounce, who scored 26 points in the previous game, got into early foul trouble and fouled out without scoring with 5:53 left and LSU leading 62-53.

--Field Level Media