 Photo By: LSUsports.net Da Boot Sports 2/14/2026 LSU Sports Communications By: LSU Staff KNOXVILLE, Tennessee – With a second starter on the bench with an injury, eight LSU Tigers battled courageously before dropping a 73-63 decision Saturday night at Thompson Boling Arena at Food City Center. With Max Mackinnon missing his first game with knee issues, Jalen Rece and Rashad King assumed the guard spots for the Tigers. The Tigers finished the game with four players in double figures, 11 assists and just three turnovers with eight made three-pointers. Tennessee built a 31-19 lead with 4:44 to go in the first half, but the Tigers would finish the half on a 10-4 run to cut the league to six, 35-29, at intermission despite Tennessee shooting 13-of-26 in the first half comparted to 9-of-26 for the Tigers. LSU came out strong at the start of the second half with Pablo Tamba and Jalen Reece hitting back-to-back three-pointers to tie the game at 35-35. The teams traded two-point baskets and then three-pointers to put the game at 40-40 with 16:32 to play. LSU would take its first lead at 42-41 when Marquel Sutton made a couple of free throws. After a Tennessee miss, Sutton was able to score off a long pass from Mazi Mosley to give LSU a 44-41 advantage with 14:28 to play. LSU’s last advantage at 48-47 on a King layup with 12 minutes to play. But Tennessee’s ability to dominate the boards would begin to prove too much for the Tigers as Tennessee’s Ja’Kobi Gillespie made a three with the game tied at 50 to give Tennessee the lead for good with 11:14 to play. Sutton and Reece led LSU with 15 points each. Sutton had nine boards, while Reece had three treys, four assists and one turnover playing the entire 40 minutes. Pablo Tamba had 13 points and Mike Nwoko 10. Tennessee’s Nate Ament had 22 points, drawing eight fouls and going 10-of-11 at the line. J. P. Estrella had 16 points and Gillespie 12 with six assists. Both Ament and Estrella each had nine rebounds. Tennessee out rebounded LSU, 45-24, including 16-8 on the offensive boards, resulting in a 22-4 advantage in second chance turnovers. The Vols had a 34-18 advantage in points in the paint. LSU finished at 38.2 percent for the game (21-of-55) with eight made three-pointers and 13-of-19 from the line. Tennessee was 25-of-54 (46.3 percent) with six treys and 17-of-23 at the line. The Tigers will next play on Tuesday night at 8 p.m. in Austin, Texas against Texas. The game will be broadcast on the LSU Sports Radio Network and the SEC Network. -- LSU vs. Tennessee February 14, 2026 LSU Head Coach Matt McMahon Opening Statement “Credit to Tennessee for finding a way to win tonight. I was really proud of our players for their fight, the resolve that we showed, I thought guys really contributed for us. Jalen Reece grew up tonight. Freshman point guard; he was fantastic, made a lot of good things happen we had three turnovers which we thought would be a key to give us a chance here tonight. I thought Marquel Sutton was fantastic in the second half. I could go down the line, obviously the difference in the game was Nate Ament. A special player, his ability in the mid-range with his length and his touch it is really difficult to defend, and then he does a great job getting to the free throw line and converting there. And then of course the rebounding. They’re the number one offensive rebounding team in the country, and that certainly showed up tonight to a land for Tennessee.” On making adjustments without Dedan Thomas Jr. and Max Mackinnon in the lineup… “We shot it pretty well from three. For us we made eight of them, I thought we got some good looks there. I wish you could have knocked a couple down there late but just really; I love the competitive spirit that our group showed tonight. As I mentioned, Jalen Reece went all 40 minutes, really did a great job running his team. I thought Mazi Mosley gave us a lift off the bench as well and some extended minutes that he hasn’t been playing so we learned a lot about our group, and that’s how we need to compete. Fight for 40 minutes every night out as we move forward.” On Jalen Reece’s performance… “Our team only had three turnovers and I think with him being the point guard for all 40 minutes and I’m sure when we look at the analytics, he had an incredibly high usage rate. I think that’s a great credit to him. I thought he kept our team really organized on the offensive end of the floor, showed great leadership there, and then defensively he’s always going to scrap. He’s a tough kid so I just thought he brought a lot to our team, and then shot the ball with confidence from three which he’s been spending a lot of extra time in the gym and it was good to see that payoff for him here tonight.” **Please be sure to go to our Da Boot Sports YouTube Channel every Monday night at 8pm CST for our live podcast, 'Talking Tigers with Da Boot Sports!' Host David Penn, co-hosts Mark Hawkins & former LSU Basketball great Clarence Ceasar will talk LSU Men's & Women's Basketball. Make sure you tune in for a great show! Thank You for your support! GEAUX TIGERS!!! *John 14:6 - "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (Accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior) *John 3;16 - For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
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