Box Score BATON ROGUE, La.- Savannah State jumped out to a large lead but could not maintain it as the Tigers fell to Louisiana State 75-59 in their first game of 2015.
 
Playing their final non-conference road contest of the season, SSU scored the first eight points of the game and held a 16-6 advantage with 12:10 left in the first period, after a layup by Khalen Pinkett.
 
The crowd of 7,647 in the Maravich Center saw LSU answer with a 10-0 run to tie the game with 5:51 remaining.
 
With the game knotted at 20 at the 3:40 mark, Jareel Martin hit a free throw for LSU to give the home team their first lead of the night and they never trailed again as they went into intermission with a 31-25 advantage.
 
LSU's lead grew to as many as 12 early in the second half but Savannah State remained pesky.
 
A jumper by Jamal Norman pulled SSU within 62-53 with 6:30 left but a 3-pointer and a layup by Savannah native Tim Quarterman increased LSU's lead to 14 and LSU held a double digit lead the rest of the evening.
 
Terel Hall and Alante Fenner had 15 points apiece for SSU (3-10) while Saadiq Muhammad added 10 and five rebounds.
 
SSU, who shot 53.3 percent from the floor in the second half, ended the game shooting 46.3 percent.
 
LSU (11-2) shot 55 percent from the field and out-rebounded Savannah State  38 to 23.
 
Martin led LSU with 26 points.