LSU 90, Auburn 69

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Posted 6:44AM on Thursday, February 10, 2005

BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA - Darrel Mitchell and Tack Minor each scored 17 points as LSU blew out Auburn 90-69 Wednesday night. LSU (13-7, 6-3 Southeastern Conference), took the lead early in the first half and never let Auburn get close again, leading by as much as 29 in the second half. Auburn (11-11, 2-7) was unable to guard LSU. LSU shot 56.9 percent from the field, had only seven turnovers and scored 20 points off Auburn's 14 turnovers. LSU beat Auburn inside, scoring 40 points in the paint to Auburn's 28, and outside, making 9 of 17 3-pointers. LSU had five players in double figures. Brandon Bass and Antonio Hudson each scored 15 and Glen Davis hit for 12. Nathan Watson led Auburn with 19 points, Toney Douglas had 18 and Ian Young added 14. Auburn's first-year coach Jeff Lebo has gotten the most out of his small, speedy lineup by going with a perimeter-heavy attack this season. Auburn went into the game with the second-most 3-pointers made (180) in the SEC this season. Against LSU Auburn made 8 of 23 3-pointers (34.8 percent). LSU, which had struggled from that distance this year, shot 52.9 percent long range (9-17). LSU also made 15 of 20 free throws. LSU was up 51-34 at halftime. Both teams started slowly in the second half. Mitchell hit a 3-point basket to open the scoring. Auburn did not get on the board for almost four minutes when Daniel Hayles layup pulled Auburn to 54-36. LSU, winners of seven of its last nine games, is 11-1 at home this season. (Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)