Field Level Media
Jan 26, 2019
Skylar Mays led a 15-1 rally late in the fourth quarter and Ja'vonte Smart made a tie-breaking 3-pointer in overtime as No. 25 LSU stormed back to defeat host Missouri 86-80 in an SEC game Saturday in Columbia, Mo.
Mays finished with 24 points, Smart and Naz Reid had 14 each and Tremont Waters scored 13 as LSU won its ninth straight game to improve to 16-3, 6-0 in SEC play.
Jordan Geist had 25 points and 11 rebounds, Jeremiah Tilmon added 15 points and Javon Pickett had 13 to lead Missouri (10-8, 1-5).
Missouri played without guard Mark Smith, its second-leading scorer and the leading 3-point shooter in the SEC, who injured an ankle in a loss at Arkansas on Wednesday night.
The score Saturday was tied before Smart's second consecutive 3-pointer gave LSU an 81-78 lead with 1:50 left in overtime.
Missouri went scoreless on its next possession as did LSU before Missouri missed a shot and Reid rebounded and was fouled.
He made both free throws for an 83-78 lead with 19 seconds left and Tilmon made a layup with 11 seconds left. Mays added two free throws with nine seconds left.
LSU's comeback started when Mays scored nine points in a 33-second span.
Missouri took its biggest lead at 70-56 with 2:14 left, but Mays sandwiched two 3-pointers around a three-point play and Missouri committed two turnovers as LSU pulled within 70-65 with 1:41 left.
Geist made one of two free throws and Waters hit a 3-pointer for Mizzou. Then Smart's steal and Reid's two free throws pulled LSU within 71-70 with 36 seconds left.
Geist missed a 3-pointer and LSU's Emmitt Williams was fouled with 2.2 seconds left. He missed the first but made the second to tie the score and force overtime.
The score was tied at 33 at halftime after LSU had its second-lowest scoring first half of the season.
Reid's 3-pointer started the second-half scoring and broke the tie in LSU's favor, but the lead changed hands five times before Missouri grabbed a 44-41 advantage.
Mays made two free throws for LSU, but Missouri scored the next nine points to take a 53-43 lead.
--Field Level Media