HOUSTON (AP) — Arsalan Kazemi had 19 points and 16 rebounds as Rice held off a late LSU rally to defeat the Tigers 74-68 Wednesday night.
The Owls (7-6) snapped a two-game losing streak by using a 13-0 run in the first eight minutes of the game to jump out to a double-digit lead, but it took hitting 11 of 14 free throws in the final minute to secure the win.
Rice led 31-26 at halftime and increased the margin to as many as 15 in the second half. LSU closed to within two in the game’s final minute, but a Bryan Beasley steal and two free throws with 9 seconds left iced it.
Andre Stringer had 19 points, Matt Derenbecker 17 and Ralston Turner 14 for LSU (8-6), which has dropped four of its last six games.
Tamir Jackson added 16 points and Connor Frizzelle 13 for the Owls, who shot 52 percent to LSU’s 35 percent.
