Men's Hoops Tips Tigers, 68-61
Dec 28, 2001
By MARY FOSTER
AP Sports Writer
NEW ORLEANS – Marcus Barnes’ third 3-pointer of the game kept Miamifrom losing for the first time this season.
The 3 from the wing broke the game’s final tie and No. 24 Miami beat LSU68-61 in the Sugar Bowl Classic on Thursday night to remain one of Division I’sfive unbeaten teams.
“It was a big shot,” Miami coach Perry Clark said. “They had kept himdown until the last minute.”
Barnes’ basket gave the Hurricanes (12-0) a 64-61 lead with 55 seconds left.
The winning streak is Miami’s longest since the 1964-65 season and theHurricanes are one win away from completing an undefeated nonconferenceschedule for the first time in school history.
John Salmons had 19 points and five assists for Miami, while James Jones had14 points and seven rebounds and Barnes added 13 points.
Miami was 8-of-18 from 3-point range.
Ronald Dupree led LSU (9-3) with 18 points and eight rebounds, whileJermaine Williams had 13 points and Torris Bright added 11.
Collis Temple III, LSU’s leading scorer at 17.8 points per game beforespraining his ankle Dec. 15, was held scoreless in the first half and finishedwith five points on 2-for-13 shooting.
LSU outrebounded Miami 38-25 but turned the ball over 21 times.
“Any time you turn the ball over 13 times in the first half, it’s a wonderyou’re not out of the game,” LSU coach John Brady said. “Had we not turnedthe ball over ridiculously, we could have won the game.”
Miami took the lead for the first time seven minutes into the game on abasket by Elton Tyler that made it 16-14. The Hurricanes never trailed again,despite a furious second-half rally by the Tigers.
LSU opened the second half with a 12-4 run, tying the score at 46-46 with16:41 left when Dupree scored consecutive baskets.
The Tigers tied it again at 50 on a basket by Williams with 12:06 left. LSUdid not make another field goal for almost six minutes, while Miami went up59-52 with 6:35 left.
A 7-0 run by the Tigers was capped by Antonio Hudson’s free throw that tiedit 59-59 with 3:35 left.
Tyler made two free throws with 3:35 left to put Miami up 61-59. LSU’s BradBridgewater scored his only basket of the second half to give the Tigers theirfinal tie, 61-61.
