LSU stuns No. 17 Kentucky with basket as time expires
Tyrell Ward capped a 17-point performance with a short floater as time expired, and LSU pulled out a second straight comeback victory over a ranked team with a 75-74 victory over No. 17 Kentucky on Wednesday night in Baton Rouge, La.
The Wildcats nearly sealed a dramatic, lastminute comeback when Adou Thiero blocked Jordan Wright's driving shot in the final seconds, but Wright was able to push the ball back up toward Ward, who leapt to grab the ball and quickly release his decisive shot before he came down.
The basket sent jubilant fans pouring onto the floor as security officers scrambled to rope off an area around both benches to keep the crowd from mingling with players and coaches.
Wright and Jalen Reed each scored 13 points for LSU (14-12, 6-7 Southeastern), which erased a 15-point, second half deficit — one game after overcoming a 16-point, secondhalf hole in a 64-63 victory at then-No. 11 South Carolina on Saturday.
Antonio Reeves scored 25 points for Kentucky (18-8, 8-5), which has now stumbled to five losses in its past nine games. Rob Dillingham scored 22 of his 24 points in the second half. His driving scoop as he was fouled with 53 seconds left, followed by his pullup jumper on the baseline with 13 seconds left, briefly gave the Wildcats a 74-73 lead.
NO. 13 ALABAMA 98, NO. 24 FLORIDA 93 (OT)>> Grant Nelson had 22 points, 8 rebounds and 6 blocked shots and the Crimson Tide (197, 11-2 Southeastern) started fast in overtime to beat the newly ranked Gators (18-8, 8-5) in Tuscaloosa, Ala. The Crimson Tide scored the first seven points of overtime and held on to preserve their perch atop the league standings after a shootout between two of the nation's top 10 scoring teams. Aaron Estrada scored on a follow shot with 7 seconds left after Sam Walters kept the ball alive. Estrada HAD 20 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists and 4 steals.
PENN STATE 90, NO. 12 ILLINOIS 89 >> Zach Hicks made three free throws after being fouled on a 3-pointer with 3 seconds left to give the Nittany Lions (13-14, 7-9 Big Ten) a victory over the visiting Illini (19-7, 105). Nick Kern Jr. scored a career-high 22 points, and Hicks and Qudus Wahab added 13 apiece to help Penn State overcome a 14-point deficit in the second half. The Nittany Lions snapped a three-game losing streak.
GEORGE MASON 71, NO. 16 DAYTON 67 >> Baraka Okojie scored all of his careerhigh 19 points in the second half, and the Patriots (18-8, 7-6 Atlantic 10) rallied past the Flyers (215, 11-3) for the first home victory over a ranked foe in program history. Keyshawn Hall added 17 points for the Patriots, who trailed 40-29 early in the second half before their physical defense keyed a 24-2 run that had coach Tony Skinn asking the boisterous home crowd to get even louder. George Mason won its third straight and improved to 13-2 at home this season. DaRon
Holmes II scored 26 points for Dayton, but the Flyers struggled at times getting the ball to their 6-foot-10 national player of the year candidate.
NO. 7 MARQUETTE 105, DEPAUL 712 >> Tyler Kolek had a school-record 18 assists, Kam Jones scored a career-high 34 points and the Golden Eagles (20-6, 11-4 Big East) bounced back from its most-lopsided loss of the season to rout visiting (3-23, 0-15).
NO. 8 DUKE 84, MIAMI 55 >> Jeremy Roach scored 16 points to lead the Blue Devils (21-5, 12-3 Atlantic Coast) over the host Hurricanes (15-12, 6-10), who lost their fifth straight. Kyle Filipowski and Mark Mitchell each had 15 points for the Blue Devils, who won their fifth straight and 16th of 18.
NEW MEXICO 68, NO. 22 COLORADO STATE 66 >> Donovan Dent drove the length of the court to lay in the winning shot with 2.8 seconds to play and give the Lobos (21-6, 9-5 Mountain West) a win over the visiting Rams (20-7, 8-6). Dent finished with 16 points. Nique Clifford's fadeaway 3-pointer for the Rams hit the rim at the buzzer.