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SEC Recap: LSU vs. Kentucky

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 14, 2009

PLAYER OF THE GAME

LSU senior guard Marcus Thornton, the SEC Player of the Year, scored 13 of LSU's first 18 points and finished with a game-high 21 on 8-for-17 shooting.

Thornton made his presence known immediately in the first half, scoring eight points off five Kentucky turnovers within the first five minutes. The 6-foot-4 guard scored nine consecutive points for LSU to give the Tigers a 15- 7 lead with 14:54 left to play in the first half.

He continued his onslaught in the second half when he sparked a 15-8 LSU run. Thornton scored on a hard drive to the basket and on the ensuing inbound pass, pick-pocketed a Kentucky player from behind to set up a 3-pointer for teammate Terry Martin. With 5:48 remaining, Thornton made his third 3-pointer of the day in front of his team's bench to give LSU a 58-44 lead.

He also finished with five rebounds, three assists and two steals.

"We had two days of rest and I felt that helped a lot," Thornton said. "That enabled me to get a lot of transition buckets. Just helping my teammates is what helped me score. I just tried to take every advantage out there. I just tried to step up to the challenge the best that I can."

CONTAINING MEEKS

Senior guard Garrett Temple had the not-so-simple task of defending Kentucky junior guard Jodie Meeks in Friday's quarterfinal. Meeks went into the game averaging 24.7 points per game and led the Wildcats with 25 points in the opening-round win vs. Ole Miss.

Temple, however, limited Meeks to eight points on 3-for-9 shooting, a season-low. It was the first game Meeks had scored in single digits all season.

"He's in great shape and I was just chasing him a lot to try to keep off the 3-point line and I was able to force him to the lane," Temple said. "My teammates did a great job of helping, getting their hands on balls and causing him to turn the ball over. It was tiring chasing him around, but I knew I was going to have to do it so I put my track shoes on."

DIGITS

9: Number of turnovers by Kentucky in the first half.

17-8: LSU's edge in offensive rebounds.

8: Total points for Kentucky's Jodie Meeks, who entered the game averaging 24.7 per game.

TURNING POINT

LSU hadn't led by double digits the entire game, but within five minutes in the second half, the Tigers made four 3-point baskets to give them some serious breathing room.

Senior Terry Martin nailed a 3 with 10:36 remaining in the second half to give LSU its first double-digit lead of the day, 46-36. Then, ahead 49-42 with 7:58 left in the game, the Tigers sank three 3-pointers in less than two minutes to take a 58-44 lead, its largest of the game.

The Wildcats responded with a 7-0 run, but the SEC regular-season champions sealed the game at the free-throw line.

Nick Williams

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