Vanderbilt beats 24th-ranked LSU Tigers

NASHVILLE (AP) — As well as Dawid Przybyszewski played offensively, Vanderbilt coach Kevin Stallings liked his center’s defense even better.

Przybyszewski scored 21 points on 5-for-5 shooting from 3-point range and held LSU’s Brandon Bass to 1-for-9 shooting as Vanderbilt beat the 24th-ranked Tigers 74-54 on Saturday.

Matt Freije had 22 points for Vanderbilt (17-6, 6-6 Southeastern Conference), which held LSU to a season-low 32 percent shooting.

LSU (17-6, 7-5) was playing without leading scorer and rebounder Jamie Lloreda, who aggravated lower leg injuries in an 80-68 loss to Auburn earlier in the week and did not dress Saturday.

“Everyone will look at Dawid’s 3-pointers, but he was better defensively than offensively,” Stallings said. “Brandon Bass is a good player.”

The 7-foot-2 Przybyszewski (SHIB-a-shef-ski) grabbed eight rebounds to augment his outside shooting performance.

“I create a mismatch,” said the Poland-born junior, who came into the game shooting 44 percent from 3-point range. “Big guys are not used to guarding on the 3-point line. I think I can take full advantage of it.”

Freije is six points away from becoming Vanderbilt’s all-time leading scorer. He had a chance to break the mark, but Stallings took him out of the game with 3 minutes to play and Vanderbilt comfortably ahead. Freije said he was glad.

“I want to break it in a classy way,” he said. “I didn’t want it to be when we are up 20 in garbage minutes. I want it to be in the middle of a game when it really counts.”

Antonio Hudson had 18 points and seven rebounds for the Tigers, who could not overcome the absence of Lloreda, who averages 17.2 points and 11.6 rebounds. Darrel Mitchell scored 12 points for LSU.

“In retrospect, we shouldn’t have played him against Auburn,” LSU coach John Brady said of Lloreda. “He wanted to play tonight, but we wouldn’t let him. I need to get our team healthy and get in the (SEC) tournament. With one ore win, we will have second place and secure one of the byes.”

The Commodores shot just 29 percent in the first half but hit 64 percent from the field in a 52-point second half. Vanderbilt also took excellent care of the ball, turning it over just six times.

“We just couldn’t stop them,” Hudson said. “They were just hot, unbelievably hot.”

Vanderbilt opened the second half with an 18-5 run to take a 40-33 lead. Przybyszewski hit two 3s during the run and scored 10 of the points.

“We couldn’t let them throw the first punch in the second half,” Freije said. “We came out and played more aggressive and we had some shots fall for us.”

Vanderbilt gradually pulled away from there. A dunk by Jason Holwerda gave the Commodores a 53-39 lead with 7:50 left, and their lead was never less than 14 points thereafter.

LSU plays the league’s two best teams, Mississippi State and Kentucky, next week.

The victory lifted Vanderbilt to 14-1 at home this season.

In pregame ceremonies, Vanderbilt retired the number of Perry Wallace, the first black basketball player in the Southeastern Conference.