Basketball in the South hits different when the humidity is high and the stakes are higher. Honestly, when LSU and SMU met up for the Compete 4 Cause Classic in mid-December 2025, most people expected a typical non-conference slog. They were wrong. What we actually got was a high-octane 89-77 LSU victory that felt like a heavyweight fight inside the Smoothie King Center.
It wasn’t just a game. It was a statement.
Matt McMahon’s squad walked into New Orleans with an 8-1 record, facing an SMU team that was also sitting at 9-1 and knocking on the door of the Top 25. People forget that SMU had just come off a massive overtime win against Texas A&M. The Mustangs were confident. Maybe a little too confident.
The Night LSU Took Over the Paint
If you want to understand LSU vs SMU basketball, you have to look at the interior. Coach McMahon has been hammering this "identity" thing all year. Basically, if the Tigers aren't scoring in the paint, they aren't winning.
They scored 50 points in the paint that night. Fifty.
That is a staggering number for a college game against a quality opponent like SMU. What makes it even more impressive is that LSU was essentially playing shorthanded. They had already lost Jalen Reed for the season, which is a massive blow to their frontcourt depth. Then, early in the game, Mike Nwoko and Robert Miller III both got into major foul trouble.
McMahon had to get creative. He went small, playing Marquel Sutton at the five and Pablo Tamba at the four.
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It should have been a disaster. Instead, those two played like absolute warriors. Sutton was a beast, dropping 23 points and grabbing 12 boards. Tamba, who is basically a Swiss Army knife on defense, chipped in 14 points and 10 rebounds. When you have two guys playing out of position and they both come away with double-doubles, you're going to win most of those games.
Max Mackinnon and the "Silent" Assassination
While the big men were bruising down low, Max Mackinnon was quietly ruining SMU's defensive game plan from the perimeter.
The kid was phenomenal. He went 8-of-9 from the floor. That’s not a typo. He missed one shot all night. Six of those makes were from beyond the arc. Every time SMU tried to collapse on Sutton or double-team the post, Mackinnon was there to make them pay.
He finished with 22 points.
SMU’s defense, led by Andy Enfield (who you’ve probably followed since his "Dunk City" days at FGCU or his long stint at USC), just didn't have an answer. Enfield is known for those long, athletic rosters that can switch everything, but LSU’s ball movement was too crisp. Dedan Thomas Jr. was the maestro, finishing with a ridiculous 12 assists to go along with 16 points.
What Really Happened to the Mustangs?
SMU didn't play poorly, which is the crazy part. They shot nearly 50% from the field. Jaron Pierre Jr., B.J. Edwards, and Jaden Toombs all put up 16 points. They were efficient. They were aggressive.
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But they couldn't stop the bleeding.
LSU shot 62.1% for the game. You just don't see that very often in high-level Division I basketball. It felt like the Tigers couldn't miss, especially in the second half when they pushed the lead to as much as 17 points. SMU tried to make a run, cutting it to six at one point, but LSU responded with a 7-0 spurt that basically ended the conversation.
The Mustangs' transition defense was a mess. They allowed LSU to get out and run, which is exactly what a team like the Tigers wants to do in a neutral-site environment. New Orleans might as well have been Baton Rouge West that night; the crowd was heavily pro-LSU, and you could feel the momentum shift every time Tamba got a breakaway layup.
Why This Matchup is the New Rivalry to Watch
We need to talk about why LSU vs SMU basketball is becoming a thing. These two teams have played in back-to-back seasons now, and both games have been intense.
In 2024, SMU actually took down LSU 74-64 in Frisco. It was a physical, defensive battle. This year was the exact opposite—a track meet in New Orleans. The series is currently split 1-1 over the last two years.
There's a natural recruiting rivalry here, too. Both programs are fighting over the same four-star and five-star kids in the Texas-Louisiana corridor. When you see a guy like Robert Miller III (a Houston native) chose LSU over local options, it adds a layer of salt to the wound for SMU fans.
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Misconceptions About the Tigers
A lot of people think LSU is just a "transfer portal" team with no chemistry. This game proved the opposite. To lose your starting center (Reed) and have your backups in foul trouble, yet still function that efficiently? That’s coaching. That’s a team that knows their roles.
McMahon has done something special with this group. They aren't just talented; they're tough.
Actionable Insights for the Rest of the Season
If you're betting on or just following these teams, here is the reality check:
- LSU’s Ceiling is High: If they shoot anywhere near 45% from three, they are almost unbeatable because their interior game is so consistent. Keep an eye on Sutton; he is arguably the most underrated forward in the SEC right now.
- SMU is Fine: Don't panic because of this loss. Losing a Quad 1 game in a semi-road environment isn't a season-killer. Their guard play with Boopie Miller and B.J. Edwards is elite, and they will be a problem in the ACC.
- The "Paint" Metric: For the rest of the 2026 season, check the box score for LSU’s "Points in the Paint." If that number is over 35, they probably won. If it’s under 25, they struggled. It's that simple with this team.
The Tigers moved to 9-1 after this win, while SMU dropped to 9-2. Both teams are headed for the NCAA Tournament if they stay healthy. This game was just a preview of the noise they’re going to make in March.
Keep a close eye on the injury report regarding LSU’s frontcourt depth, as playing Sutton and Tamba for 35+ minutes a night isn't sustainable long-term. For SMU, the focus has to be on closing out games against high-major opponents; they’ve shown they can lead, but they need to find that "killer instinct" defensively when the shots aren't falling.