Men's Hoops Sees Its First Home Action in LSU Exhibition MatchupMen's Hoops Sees Its First Home Action in LSU Exhibition Matchup

Men's Hoops Sees Its First Home Action in LSU Exhibition Matchup

by Aiden Kocol
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ORLANDO — Knight Nation got its first look at the fresh-faced men’s hoops roster Sunday afternoon, as the squad took the floor at Addition Financial Arena for the first time this season in an exhibition matchup against the LSU Tigers.

A 10-0 scoring run early in the first half helped the Knights take control, heading into halftime with a 36-29 lead. However, LSU came out strong in the second half, using a run of their own to knot the game at 38. Despite the back-and-forth momentum, LSU capitalized on the Knights’ 16 turnovers, converting them into 18 points, which proved to be the difference as they escaped Addition Arena with a 75-68 victory.

"I thought it was a great game for our guys. I mean, that's what exhibition games are for, to learn about your team, learn about your chemistry and your rotations. And gave us a great job to see that. You know, I thought our guys did a good job. We battled, we had our moments... And there are things you only find out when you're in this situation."

Head Coach Johnny Dawkins

Riley Kugel led the way for the Black and Gold, with 21 points and 7 assists. George Beale Jr. also brought an offensive spark to the game, knocking down 4 of 7 three-pointers to finish with 18 points. The Knights demonstrated impressive depth, with their bench contributing 33 points, while also showcasing their defensive strength, forcing 15 Tiger turnovers.

UP NEXT
The Knights will open their season Monday, November 3, with an 8:00 p.m. tipoff against Hofstra back at Addition Financial Arena.

The game will be streamed live on ESPN+  and fans can purchase tickets to the event here.

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