Mays scores 19, LSU topples Memphis

BATON ROUGE, LA. >> Skylar Mays scored 19 points, transfer Kavell Bigby-Williams added a career-high

14, and No. 22 LSU held off a relentless effort by firstyear coach Penny Hardaway’s Memphis squad, 8576 on Tuesday night. Each of LSU’s three freshmen starters — Naz Reid, Ja’Vonte Smart and Emmitt Williams — scored 11 points. Williams also grabbed 10 rebounds for the Tigers (3-0), who trailed briefly with about

13 minutes to go before surging ahead for good with a pivotal 12-1 run that included back-to-back 3s by Mays and Reid. Smart set up Reid’s 3 with a behind-the-back bounce pass from the right wing.

Bigby-Williams, a transfer from Oregon, never scored more than 11 in a game for the Ducks, and is expected to be relied upon primarily for defense this season.

He made all seven of his shots, all from close range, including an emphatic dunk that gave LSU a 10-point lead with seven minutes remaining.

Memphis freshman Tyler Harris, who missed all six of his shots and didn’t score in his debut, was 6 of

13 on 3s and finished with

20 points in his second collegiate game.

Jeremiah Martin scored

15 points and Kyvon Davenport had 10 for Memphis (1-1), which remained within single digits for most of the game.

Mays scored from all over the court, mixing in a soaring, driving onehanded dunk with his usual array of perimeter shots.

He hit three times from

3-point range.