The Tigers (18-14) advanced to face the winner of Wednesday night's game between second-seeded Utah and seventh-seeded UC Davis.

The Ragin' Cajuns finished 27-7 after losing their last two games, having won the Sun Belt Conference regular-season title before losing in the semifinals of the conference tournament last weekend.

Brandon Sampson added 18 points and Skylar Mays scored 11 for LSU.

Frank Bartley IV led Louisiana with 21 points, Johnathan Stove scored 17, Marcus Stroman had 12 points and 13 rebounds and Cedric Russell scored 10.

Reath's jumper started the third-quarter scoring and gave LSU a 14-point lead before Louisiana made a run.

Bartley made two 3-pointers to help the Cajuns close within 48-45. Sampson made a 3 to start a 6-0 Tigers run but Louisiana followed with its own 6-0 run.

Reath scored five straight points to help LSU take a 61-53 after three quarters.

Russell's 3 got the Cajuns within five to start the fourth before Reath went back to work. He scored six points as the Tigers built a 72-61 lead.

Stove scored five points as Louisiana closed within 72-68 with 3:38 left.

Tremont Waters made one free throw for LSU before Bailey made a basket and Stroman added a layup to get the Cajuns within 73-72 with 1:44 left.

Waters made two free throws, Daryl Edwards hit one and Reath two to give the Tigers a 78-72 lead with 49 seconds left.

Mays scored six points as LSU used a 16-5 run to take an 18-15 lead after one quarter.

Bartley made a 3 to get Louisiana within seven before the Tigers rebuilt the lead to 40-28 at halftime as Reath completed the second-quarter scoring with a 3 with 47 seconds left.

--Field Level Media