Keyontae Johnson scored 16 points, including a tiebreaking jumper with five seconds remaining, as Kansas State defeated LSU 61-59 in a battle of unbeaten teams for the Cayman Islands Classic Championship on Wednesday night in George Town, Cayman Islands.
LSU’s Trae Hannibal made a basket that appeared to tie the score and force overtime, but on review it was determined to have come after time expired and was overturned.
Markquis Nowell scored 18 points and Desi Sills added 16 for the Wildcats (6-0).
KJ Williams had 17 points and 10 rebounds, Justice Hill scored 12 and Adam Miller added 11 to lead the Tigers (5-1).
Williams’ jumper gave LSU a 46-35 lead early in the second half before both offenses went cold.
David N’Guessan made two free throws to cap a 4-0 run as Kansas State crept within 47-41 with 14 minutes to play.
Hill’s layup — LSU’s second basket in nearly a seven-minute span — increased the LSU lead to eight points with 11:47 left.
But Sills scored five points and Cam Carter four during an 11-0 run that gave Kansas State a 52-49 lead with seven minutes remaining.
Jalen Reed made two free throws to stop the run and Hannibal’s layup ended a field-goal drought of more than six minutes for LUS to give the Tigers a 53-52 edge.
Kansas State retook the lead twice before Williams’ basket tied the score at 57 with 2:57 left.
Miller’s layup for LSU broke the tie, but Nowell’s jumper tied the score again with 49 seconds left, setting the stage for Johnson’s winner.
Kansas State held an early one-point lead before Cam Hayes made a 3-pointer to complete an 8-0 run that gave the Tigers a 15-8 lead with 11:51 left in the first half.
The Wildcats climbed within one point before Miller made a 3-pointer that sparked a run capped by a Hill 3-pointer for a 28-18 lead.
Carter made a layup to end a nearly five-minute field-goal drought for Kansas State and trim the lead to 31-23.
Miller’s dunk pushed the lead to 38-26 before Nowell scored the Wildcats’ final seven points to cut the lead to 41-33 at halftime.
–Field Level Media