Marquel Sutton and Max Mackinnon combined for 46 points as the LSU Tigers snapped a four-game losing streak to secure their first Southeastern Conference win of 2026 with a 78-70 victory over Missouri.
In a high-stakes encounter at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center, the Tigers led for all but 28 seconds, delivering a clinical performance that saw them control the tempo from the opening tip. Associate Head Coach David Patrick—the Bermudian-born coach recently named to the list of the nation's most impactful high-major assistants—looked on as his side repelled every Missouri charge to improve to 13-5 overall.
LSU signaled their intent early, racing into a 10-0 lead while holding Missouri scoreless for the first five minutes of the contest. Despite a second-half rally that saw Missouri cut a 14-point deficit down to just three, LSU showed the composure that had been missing in recent narrow defeats, including a last-second heartbreaker to Kentucky.
Marquel Sutton produced his most complete conference display since transferring from Omaha, pouring in 26 points. His physical presence inside was matched by Max Mackinnon, who added 20 points and four three-pointers, including a dagger in the final six minutes that restored a double-digit lead.
While the scoring was dominated by the duo, the defensive grit of Pablo Tamba and Rashad King proved decisive. Tamba recorded eight points and five boards, including two ice-cool free throws with 26 seconds remaining to extend the lead to six. Missouri’s Jayden Stone led the visitors with 20 points, but it wasn't enough to prevent the pre-weekend league leaders from slipping to a 3-2 SEC record.
The defining battle took place on the glass, where LSU out-rebounded Missouri 35-30. Crucially, the Tigers’ 16 offensive rebounds led to a 21-13 advantage in second-chance points, effectively punishing Missouri for every missed defensive assignment.
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