Will Baker scored 18 points to lead four LSU scorers in double figures and the Tigers held off Southeastern Louisiana 73-66 on Friday night in Baton Rouge, La.
Jordan Wright scored 16, Mike Williams III added 15 and Tyrell Ward had 11 points for the Tigers (5-3).
Nick Caldwell scored 18 points, Roger McFarlane added 12 and Rosoe Eastwood had 10 to lead the Lions (2-6).
Caldwell made two free throws to start the second-half scoring and pull the Lions within five points, but the Tigers scored the next five points.
Brody Rowbury made a free throw for SLU before LSU scored six straight points to expand the lead to 50-35.
McFarlane answered with two free throws and a 3-pointer to trim the lead to 10 points.
Hunter Dean made a jumper for the Tigers before Eastwood made a 3-pointer and Caldwell added a layup to get the Lions within 52-45.
Baker responded with back-to-back field goals for an 11-point lead with a little more than 11 minutes left.
SLU got within five points before Wright’s basket completed a 6-0 run that gave LSU a 63-52 lead.
Eastwood made a layup to cap a 9-1 run that pulled the Lions within 64-61 with 3:26 remaining.
SLU got within two, but Baker and Williams each made two free throws for a six-point lead.
Caldwell made a 3-pointer with 30 seconds left before Wright made four consecutive free throws to complete the scoring.
The score was tied five times before McFarlane’s layup gave SLU its first lead, 15-13.
The score was tied three more times before Baker converted a three-point play and made a 3-pointer to give LSU a 26-22 lead.
The Lions closed within two points before a 7-0 run gave the Tigers their biggest lead of the half, 36-27.
Kam Burton scored five straight points to help SLU get within 39-32 at halftime.
–Field Level Media