LSU Post Season Games - 1983
Even though they won one fewer conference game than their 1981-82 counterparts, the '82-83 Tigers were much improved overall.
Dale had to scurry three nights before the NIT game to find information on the Privateers.
- He learned that Don Smith's fourth UNO squad was a senior-laden team that finished 22-6 to tie USL for the best record among the nation's independents.
- UNO's top wins came at the hands of #14 Wichita State in the season opener 96-82. They split two games with NCAA-bound USL and edged Tulane 75-71 in overtime.
- The Privateers lost to Tennessee, three-time conquerers of LSU, 74-70 after leading most of the game.
- 6'8" senior Mark Petteway was rated among the top four forwards in the country. He averaged a team-high 17.6 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. The other forward, Oscar Taylor, led the team with 7.7 rebounds per games and was second in points at 17.5.
- The Privateers ranked second in the nation with a 55.2 field goal percentage, with all five starters hitting at least 54.4% from the field.
- Both teams finished strong, LSU winning eight of its last 11 and UNO taking 14 of 17, including the last five.
The Tigers starting five lined up like this:
- F Howard Carter (Baton Rouge): 6'5" senior, 17.5ppg
- F Leonard Mitchell (St. Martinville): 6'7" junior, 14.8ppg
- F Jerry Reynolds (Brooklyn NY): 6'8" freshman, 10.5ppg
- G John Tudor (Pineville): 6'6" junior, 6.4ppg
- G Johnny Jones (DeRidder): 6'2" senior, 6.5ppg
The N.I.T. experimented with a 30-second clock that was turned off with four minutes left in the game. Games would also use the red, white, and blue basketball that the American Basketball Association had popularized.
A crowd of 9,497 saw the Tigers jump ahead quickly and maintain the advantage throughout the first half.
The second half was an entirely different story.
Overtime
- Acie Sanders' tip-in five seconds into the extra period put UNO ahead for the first time in the game. He would score seven of his 11 points in the extra session.
- Mitchell fouled out with 3:17 left in the overtime. He finished with only 12 points and, more importantly, only four rebounds.
Mitchell: "We just got outplayed. They didn't do anything different in the second half. We just weren't aggressive on defense. The time I was in there, I didn't contribute, and I couldn't be of any help on the bench."
- A layup by Steffond Johnson narrowed the gap to 93-92 with 53 seconds left. But with the Tigers overplaying on the perimeter, Sanders drifted free under the goal and laid in a cross-court pass to boost the lead back to 95-92 with 39 seconds remaining.
- Having a career-high night, Tudor sank a pair of free throws with 35 seconds to make it 95-94. When reserve guard Terrance Breaux made only the front end of a one-and-one, LSU had 31 seconds to tie the game.
- With 17 seconds left, Carter dribbled to within 4' of the basket on the left baseline and shot a jumper over two defenders. But the ball hit the front of the rim. Acie Sanders pulled down the rebound for UNO and was fouled. He hit both free throws.
Carter on his crucial miss on the last shot of his four-year career: "I thought it was a layup, man. I just missed it. It was the easiest shot I could have gotten. I never recall having a shot that easy at the end of the game."
- Another LSU miss forced them to foul again, and Oscar Taylor sealed the 99-94 victory with two more freebies.
Coach Smith: "I put Acie in the game for defense. When our guys come off the bench, we don't lose much."
Postgame
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Don Smith
Mark Petteway
Oscar Taylor
Howard Carter
John Tudor
Leonard Mitchell
Johnny Jones
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