NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- In a week filled with drama, there was none in No. 17 Texas A&M's 71-38 demolition of LSU in a Southeastern Conference tournament semifinal game at the Bridgestone Arena on Saturday.

Eleven players scored for the Aggies (26-7), led by center Tonny Trocha-Morelos (13 points), as coach Billy Kennedy's reserves got more than ample playing time.

Forward Ben Simmons, LSU's freshman superstar, was held to just 10 points. No other Tiger scored more than six, as LSU (19-14) shot a miserable 20.6 percent (13-for-63) from the floor.

Simmons was asked whether LSU's struggles were due to A&M's defense or the Tigers' offense.

"A bit of both," Simmons responded. "For us, when I was catching down low, they were sending two guys over to block the shot. ... But they played hard and looked like they wanted it more."

A 31-4 Aggies run spanning the last 11:40 of the first half and the first moments of the second -- it ended when LSU guard Tim Quarterman hit a 3-pointer 45 seconds into the second half -- cut the A&M lead to 37-16.

It soon became an Aggies dunk show.

Trocha-Morelos threw one down at the 13:50 mark for a 46-19 advantage.

Forward Danuel House took a long pass from guard Alex Collins and dunked it 1:09 later.

Forward Tavario Miller added one at 11:20 for a 51-21 lead.

"It was so much fun that I got a technical foul," Trocha-Morelos said. "I think the bench and everybody enjoyed the dunk as much as I did."

By that point, LSU had long thrown in the towel, allowing Kennedy to rest his starters for most of the second half in preparation for Sunday's title game against either Kentucky or Georgia.

"It's huge," Kennedy said when asked about the luxury of playing his bench for 92 minutes on Saturday. "You know, last year, we didn't have the depth of the bench and it cost us at the end of the year. So these guys have been doing it all year."

It so frustrated Simmons that, upon missing a layup after being fouled with 3:05 left and LSU trailing 67-28, he slammed the ball on the floor in frustration and was whistled for a technical foul.

After a slow start for both teams -- the Aggies trailed 9-6 after a Simmons free throw at 12:16 -- A&M's bench, just as it did on Friday, gave it a spark.

Trocha-Morelos started it with a three. Forward DJ Hogg made a layup. Trocha-Morelos then blocked a shot that resulted in guard Admon Gilder's fast-break layup on the other end, and then Hogg nailed a three as the Aggies led 16-9 at the 8:18 mark.

"Unfortunately for us, we got stuck on nine (points) and defensively couldn't get things to click," LSU coach Johnny Jones said.

The starters kept it rolling. Center Tyler Davis had a tip-in, and then A&M forward Jalen Jones had layups from alternating sides of the hoop that put A&M up 23-10 as LSU coach Johnny Jones took a timeout.

The biggest problem for LSU was that it got nothing going against a mix of man-to-man and 2-3 zone defenses that the Aggies employed.

Texas A&M closed the half strong, when guard Admon Gilder, heavily guarded on the right side, cleared room with a head-fake that fooled a defender and then buried a three at the buzzer.

When it was all finished, A&M had a 35-13 halftime edge.

It was a big day for Kennedy in more than one way. Before the game, Texas A&M athletic director Scott Woodward announced a new five-year contract for the Aggies coach.

An emotional Kennedy spoke to that later.

"I'm just thankful," he said. "I love Texas A&M, and it's been a journey, and I'm just proud for these guys and to get the opportunity to keep coaching and coach them for a long time."

A&M now awaits its seeding in the NCAA Tournament, which will be announced Sunday, while LSU awaits a possible NIT bid.

NOTES: Texas A&M C Tonny Trocha-Morelos was whistled for a second-half technical foul for taunting after a dunk that put the Aggies up 46-19. ... LSU F Ben Simmons had his second-lowest point output for the season -- the previous worst being four vs. North Carolina State in his fifth collegiate game on Nov. 24. ... LSU's 38 points was the lowest point total in games involving the SEC, Atlantic Coast Conference, Big Ten, Big 12, Big East and Pac-12 conferences.