Basketball in the SEC is a different kind of beast. Honestly, if you blinked during the second half of the matchup at the PMAC on Wednesday night, you missed the entire vibe shifting. People keep searching for the score of the LSU game, and while the numbers 75-74 tell you who won, they don't even come close to describing the absolute chaos that went down in Baton Rouge.
LSU lost.
That’s the short version. The long version is a lot more painful if you’re a Tigers fan. For about twenty minutes of game time, it looked like Matt McMahon’s squad was finally going to kick the door down and secure a massive conference win. They went into the locker room at halftime up 38-22. A 16-point lead against Kentucky? You take that every single day of the week.
What really happened with the score of the LSU game?
The final score of the LSU game was 75-74 in favor of the Kentucky Wildcats. But man, the way it got there was a total rollercoaster.
LSU came out of the gate on fire. They actually pushed that lead to 18 points early in the second half. At 40-22, the energy in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center was electric. You’ve got to give credit to the Tigers' defense in that first frame; they held Kentucky to just 22 points, which is the lowest first-half total for the Wildcats against LSU since the turn of the millennium.
Then, the wheels started wobbling.
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- The Drought: LSU went completely cold from the floor during the final 3:29 of the game. Not a single field goal.
- The Comeback: Kentucky’s Otega Oweh was a problem. He finished with 21 points and basically willed the Wildcats back into the game.
- Free Throw Woes: This is the part that’ll keep fans up at night. LSU had chances at the charity stripe to ice this thing.
Max Mackinnon hit two clutch free throws with 17.4 seconds left to put LSU up 74-72. It felt like they had it. But Oweh got fouled on the other end, made the first, missed the second, and in the scramble, LSU's Pablo Tomba ended up at the line with a chance to win it or at least keep the lead. He missed both.
Kentucky gets the ball back with 1.6 seconds left. They’ve done this before in Baton Rouge—remember the New Year's Day game with the women's teams? It was like deja vu. Kentucky found a way, and the Tigers fell to 0-4 in the SEC.
The football hangover and the Texas Bowl
You can't talk about the current state of LSU sports without acknowledging the football team's season finale. A lot of people looking for the "score of the LSU game" are actually still reeling from the Kinder’s Texas Bowl.
That one was another nail-biter. LSU fell to No. 21 Houston 38-35. It was a weird, transitional night at NRG Stadium. Brian Kelly was out, Lane Kiffin had been hired but wasn't coaching yet, and Frank Wilson III was the interim man on the sidelines.
The game started with a literal bang. Barion Brown took the opening kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown. It was the first time LSU had opened a game like that since 1978. For a second, it felt like the Tigers were going to steamroll the Cougars. Michael Van Buren Jr. (MVB) looked sharp, finding Trey’Dez Green for two touchdowns. Green actually set the single-season record for touchdown catches by an LSU tight end during that game.
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But the defense? It just wasn't there.
Houston’s Connor Weigman carved them up for 236 yards and four touchdowns. LSU had a 14-point lead and let it slip. They ended the season 7-6, which, let’s be real, isn't the standard in Baton Rouge.
Breaking down the numbers
Sometimes prose doesn't capture the statistical weight of these games. If you look at the basketball loss to Kentucky, the Tigers actually outshot the Wildcats for much of the night.
LSU shot 48% in the first half.
Kentucky shot like they were throwing bricks in a pond initially.
But the second half was a different story. Kentucky poured in 53 points in those final 20 minutes. You just can’t win games in the SEC when you give up 50+ in a half.
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On the football side, the stats against Houston were equally frustrating. LSU’s offense put up 344 yards. That’s usually enough to win. But the defense gave up 437. They also got flagged for a back-breaking pass interference on a 3rd-and-10 that kept a Houston scoring drive alive right before halftime.
Why these scores matter for the future
The score of the LSU game isn't just a result; it's a barometer for where these programs are heading in 2026.
In basketball, the Tigers are 12-5 overall but winless in the SEC. That’s a scary place to be. They’ve shown they can compete with the blue bloods—leading Kentucky by 18 is no fluke—but they haven't learned how to close the door yet. The scoring drought at the end of the game is a symptom of a young team that gets tight when the lights get brightest.
In football, the 38-35 loss to Houston marked the end of an era and the beginning of the Lane Kiffin experiment. Most fans are already looking toward September 5, 2026, when Clemson comes to Tiger Stadium. That’s the real reset button.
Actionable insights for Tigers fans
If you're following the Tigers this season, don't just look at the box score. There are a few things to keep an eye on as we move deeper into the winter:
- Watch the free throw percentages. LSU is leaving too many points at the line. In close games, that’s the difference between a tournament bid and a Wednesday night exit in the SEC tourney.
- Follow the recruiting trail. Lane Kiffin is already making moves in the portal. The defensive secondary needs an overhaul, and the spring game is going to be the first real look at his "Pro-style" influence on the roster.
- Keep an eye on Trey’Dez Green. Whether it's on the field or potentially the court (the kid is a dual-sport talent), he’s the most dynamic athlete on campus right now.
Basically, being an LSU fan right now is a test of patience. The talent is there, but the "finish" is missing. Whether it's on the hardwood or the gridiron, the Tigers are a few plays away from being elite again.
Check the schedule for the next home game at the PMAC. This team is fun to watch, even if the final score makes you want to throw your remote at the wall. They're going to break through eventually; it’s just a matter of when.