LSU needed eight opportunities before it finally won its second Southeastern Conference game.
South Carolina is still looking for her first Sec win.
The two worst teams at the conference will meet when Tigers (13-12, 2-10 SEK) and Gamecocks (10-15, 0-12) meet Tuesday evening in Baton Rouge, LA.
LSU worked on its way to its eighth defeat in a row before overcame a five-point deficit for the last 20 seconds to defeat the host Oklahoma 82-79 on Saturday night.
“The players have been very resistant through some struggle here,” said Tigers coach Matt McMahon. “Obviously disappointed with the results, but continuing to fight, continue to get to work every day and then get it to pay there during the second half with just a phenomenal performance and a Gutsy performance.”
LSU overcame what McMahon called “a lot of curve balls from a personnel point of view.”
Forward the Corey breast was scrapped due to back spasms affected in decay heating, and forward Derek Fountain was ill and did not dress.
Forward Robert Miller III and Daimion Collins Fouled out and forced the tigers to end the game with five guards. One was the leading goal scorer Cam Carter, who published seven of his play -high 29 points in the last 20 seconds.
Gamecocks set a program record with 12 consecutive Sec-defeat when they lost at then no. 3 Florida 88-67 on Saturday.
“It will be crazy one day when we look back at what this team has gone through,” said South Carolina coach Lamont Paris about the Sec grinding. “The whole league goes through it, but in my estimate, our specific schedule is much more difficult than some others even among all the most difficult.”
GameCocks has not won since their last game before the conference on December 30 against visiting Presbyterian. Each Sec -Home match has been against a ranked opponent.
“The challenge is to identify things that we have done well that make us compete,” said Paris, “and then also identify the real things that prevent us from taking home the ship.”
Collin Murray-Boyles is South Carolina top player, leading the team with 15.5 points and 8.4 returns per match.
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