Top-ranked Tigers fall to Arkansas in 3 OT

In the final home game of the season, LSU was unable to get a game-tying two-point conversion in triple overtime to force another period and fell to Arkansas, 50-48.

However, the Tigers inability to force the fourth overtime was not the main problem on Friday in Tiger Stadium.

It was stopping an Arkansas offense that piled up 513 yards, including 384 yards on the ground. Coming into the game, LSU (10-2 overall, 6-2 in the SEC) had one of the nation’s best defenses.

The Razorbacks finished the regular season at 8-4 overall and 4-4 in the SEC.

Despite the loss, LSU will represent its division in the SEC Championship Game on Saturday at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta against No. 14 Tennessee (9-3). The game will be nationally televised by CBS at 3 p.m.

Against Arkansas, the Tigers managed 211 yards passing and another 207 on the ground. LSU took an early lead on a couple of first-quarter field goals by Colt David, but found itself down 7-6 at the half.

The Tigers tied the game on three other occasions with the last one coming when Matt Flynn found Demetrius Byrd for a 2-yard touchdown with 57 seconds left in regulation. Each team traded touchdowns in all the overtime periods, but in the third one (which teams must attempt two-point conversions), Flynn’s two-point pass was intercepted in the back of the end zone ending LSU’s 18-game home winning streak and its No. 1 ranking.

The Tigers slipped to No. 7 in the BCS poll and No. 5 in the Harris Interactive Poll and The Associated Press. LSU is also No. 7 in the USA Today Coaches Poll.

The Tigers tied the game in the second half with a rushing touchdown by Jacob Hester and another receiving touchdown by Byrd. In overtime, Flynn and Hester each ran for scores, while Brandon LaFell hauled in a 9-yard touchdown pass in the third overtime.

Hester had 126 yards on 28 carries and Flynn was 22-for-47 for 209 yards. Richard Dickson had a team-high 69 yards receiving on five catches.

LSU will now face a Tennessee team that won the SEC East on Saturday with a four-overtime victory over Kentucky, 52-50. Had Tennessee lost, Georgia, which is now ranked No. 4, would have played LSU. The Vols and Georgia each finished with identical league records, but the Volunteers beat Georgia, 35-14, on October 6.

Tennessee is led by quarterback Erik Ainge, who has thrown for 2,980 yards and 27 touchdowns so far this season. On the ground, Arian Foster has rushed for 1,107 yards and 12 touchdowns. He also has 33 receptions and two receiving touchdowns this season. Ainge’s favorite wide receiver target is Lucas Taylor, who has 71 catches for 975 yards and five touchdowns. Tennessee comes into the game riding a five-game winning streak, which includes victories over South Carolina, Arkansas and Kentucky.

Tigers drop two games in Hawaii

LSU fell to 3-2 with an overtime loss to Arizona State, 87-84, in the fifth-place game Wednesday in the EA Sports Maui Invitational.

Anthony Randolph had 21 points and seven rebounds in the loss. Marcus Thornton added 18 points and 12 rebounds, while Bo Spencer chimed in with 14 points. Garrett Temple and Chris Johnson each scored 11 points for the Tigers, who were without the services of Tasmin Mitchell (ankle).

A day earlier, LSU beat Chaminade, 78-72. In that contest, Randolph had 21 points and nine rebounds. Johnson had 18 points and 11 rebounds; Terry Martin had 13 points and Spencer added 11 points.

On Monday in Hawaii, the Tigers fell to Oklahoma State, 83-77, in the first round of the tournament. In that contest, Thornton had 20 points, while Johnson added 19 points. Temple chimed in with 17 points and Spencer had 10 points.

LSU will next play host to Nicholls State on Wednesday and Southern on Friday. Both games start at 7 p.m.

Lady Tigers lose Battle of Titans

The No. 6 LSU Lady Tigers were unable to sink two late shots as seventh-ranked Rutgers escaped with a 45-43 victory on Sunday in Piscataway, New Jersey.

LSU (4-2) missed two shots in the final seconds that would have tied or won the contest.

Quianna Chaney led the Lady Tigers with 16 points. Sylvia Fowles added 13 points and 12 rebounds.

On Wednesday, LSU routed Louisiana-Lafeyette, 72-37. In the contest, Fowles made history as she dunked the ball with 9:29 left to play in the first half. Fowles, who is listed at 6-foot-6 tall, became only the sixth player in women’s college basketball history to record a dunk. The first was Georganne Wells of West Virginia in 1984. North Carolina’s Charlotte Smith, Houston’s Sancho Lyttle and Tennessee’s Michelle Snow and Candace Parker have also dunked in a women’s NCAA game. Fowles finished with 21 points and 12 rebounds. Erica White added 11 points and Allison Hightower chimed in with 10 points.

The Lady Tigers will play at Houston on Thursday (7 p.m.) and at Tulane on Saturday (2 p.m.).

Volleyball team in NCAA tourney

For the third straight year, the LSU volleyball team qualified for the NCAA Tournament when the 64-team field was announced on ESPNU on Sunday.

The Tigers (24-7) earned an at-large bid after winning their third straight SEC Western Division Championship. LSU will face at-large selection New Mexico State out of the Western Athletic Conference in the first round. The pair will face off on Friday at 4 p.m. in Gregory Gym as part of the Austin, Texas, Regional.

If the Tigers advance past the Aggies, they will take on the winner of the Texas-Texas State match on Saturday at 6:30 p.m.

(Photo by Blake Breaux

• Tri-Parish Times) LSU coach Les Miles talks shop with quarterback Matt Flynn in the Tigers’ 50-48 triple overtime loss to the Razorbacks on Friday.