Vanderbilt basketball falls flat against LSU as Jordan Wright returns to Memorial
Vanderbilt basketball, coming off its first road win of the season, once again fell flat in its next game in a loss to LSU at Memorial Gymnasium.
After being down 20 at halftime, the Commodores (8-21, 3-12 SEC) played much better in the second half, but it wasn't enough to overcome the deficit, losing, 75-61 on Saturday.
LSU (16-13, 8-8) shot better from the field and also out-rebounded Vanderbilt. The shooting woes that have plagued the Commodores under Jerry Stackhouse showed up once again.
Tyrin Lawrence put up 21 points and Ezra Manjon put up 17 but the rest of the team combined for just 23.
3-point disparity
Both teams took a high number of shots from the 3-point line, but the difference was that LSU made its shots while Vanderbilt did not. The Tigers shot 10-for-31 from the 3-point range.
The Commodores, who entered the game as the ninth-worst 3-point defense in the country, gave up countless open looks to the Tigers. Vanderbilt, meanwhile, did not make a 3-pointer in the first half, eventually finishing 3-for-20.
Jordan Wright shines
In his first return to Memorial Gymnasium since transferring to LSU in the offseason, Jordan Wright shined. He was one of LSU's main catalysts both offensively and on the boards.
He was tasked with defending Lawrence, with whom he played next to for three years with the Commodores. Lawrence was the focal point of Vanderbilt's offense, with an efficient performance from the field. Lawrence also drew several fouls on Wright.
Lawrence put up 21 points, leading all scorers on both teams, with three rebounds and two steals. Wright put up 15 points and seven rebounds.
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Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at agerson@gannett.com or on Twitter @aria_gerson.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Jordan Wright scores 15, LSU beats Vanderbilt basketball
