LSU Survives Against Georgia 72-67, Advance in SEC Tournament

In what quickly became a breakout performance for freshman center Shawn Philips, LSU came alive to defeat the Georgia Bulldogs in the first round of the SEC Tournament 72-67.

Head Coach Matt McMahon’s squad stayed together, adjusted and battled through adversity down the stretch to earn just their second win of 2023 and advance to the second round where they will take on Vanderbilt.

Here are the instant takeaways from Wednesday's victory over Georgia:

First Half Success, Second Half Collapse

It’s been the story of the season for LSU, especially late in the year. The Tigers start off the game shot out of a cannon, ballooning a lead early, then crumble in the final 20 minutes. Against Georgia it was much of the same, but this program adjusted to come away with a victory late.

The Tigers went into the half up 42-30 despite KJ Williams only scoring six points on 2-for-6 shooting. McMahon’s squad got production from a number of guys as the Tigers took control early, but it didn’t last long until the second half.

The Bulldogs came into the final period with something to prove, chipping away at LSU’s lead slowly but surely led by guard Jabri Abdur-Rahim, who hit big shot after big shot down the stretch for his squad.

Shawn Philips Jr. Shows Promise For Tigers, Has Breakout Game

Philips looked like the player this program has been wanting to see all season long. When given minutes, he’s shown raw talent, but on Wednesday he seemingly put it all together. Coach McMahon gave the freshman significant minutes with Derek Fountain out with an injury and he maximized his chances.

The youngster showed his improved footwork inside while being a rebounding machine on the other end of the floor. Philips ended the night with 13 points and 10 rebounds, really giving this squad a push when they needed it late. 

Philips is a force to be reckoned with inside. He attains tremendous length and size inside that gives opponents fits routinely. An X-factor on Wednesday night against the Bulldogs, there’s much to like from the first-year Tiger in his first game with an expanded role.

Big Three of KJ Williams, Adam Miller and Trae Hannibal Come Alive Late

It was promising to see the Tigers’ leaders perform down the stretch when this team needed them most. It started with a four-point play from Miller to give the Tigers the lead in crunch time and ended with a vintage Williams turnaround floater.

Miller ended the night with 10 points on an efficient 3-for-4 from downtown. His partner in crime, Williams, totaled 18 points on one of his worst shooting performances of the season. The lethal duo shined brightest when this program needed them most despite struggles early. 

All in all, it was the Shawn Philips game. With the much-needed putback dunk to give the Tigers the lead with under a minute left then getting it done on the other end of the floor with a crucial block defensively, the freshman showed up when his squad needed him most.

The Tigers will battle against Vanderbilt on Thursday at 8:30 p.m. on SEC Network in the second round of the SEC Tournament.