A win on the road over South Carolina would have went a long way on LSU's NCAA Tournament resume, but they fell short of a win, 83-94.

Johnny Jones, Ben Simmons and the Tigers are one of the first teams listed when the NCAA Tournament "bubble" is discussed. With the top recruit in the nation and a lot of preseason expectations, LSU is in danger of missing out of the only dance their fans care about.

Everywhere Simmons goes, he has a target on his back. The consensus #1 overall pick in next year's NBA Draft is going to make a lot of money at the next level, but he is going to have to put up with hecklers until he walks across the stage and shakes Adam Silver's hand. Chants of "overrated" rained down from the South Carolina crowd when Simmons was at the free throw line and late in the game. The Aussie big man struggled at the FT line (4-9 FT's) but still posted 20 points, six rebounds and six assists in the loss.

The difference in the game was at the charity stripe. Simmons wasn't the only culprit.

In a game filled with whistles, LSU didn't get it done shooting the basketball when it counted. They only went 16-28 (57.1%) at the stripe, while South Carolina shot 27-36 (75%). The difference of eleven points was the final margin of victory for the Gamecocks, so it's hard not to point the finger at the free throw line.

Two LSU players, Craig Victor and Tim Quarterman, fouled out, but 45 total fouls were called in the game. It was hard to watch at points, but South Carolina will take the "ugly" win and the lead in the Southeastern Conference. Both teams sport an 8-3 record in conference, but the Gamecocks own the tiebreaker now.

One bright spot, aside from the consistent light provided by Simmons, was the continuation of Antonio Blakeney's solid play of late. The talented freshman from Florida posted 22 points (8-14 FG, 4-6 3-pt, 2-4 FT), but he had three turnovers and only one assist. When he and Hornsby play well, it makes Simmons' job a lot easier.

The time is running out for LSU to beef up their NCAA Tournament resume. Without the South Carolina win, the Tigers might have to beat Texas A&M on the road or Kentucky at the end of the season to get the nod without running the table in the SEC Tournament. Simmons will only be around for a year, and LSU fans don't want to miss the window for success while it's still open.

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