Freshman Malachi Moreno hit a game-winning jumper as time expired, lifting Kentucky to a 75-74 win over LSU on Wednesday night in Baton Rouge.
UK trailed by one point with 1.6 seconds remaining and had to go the length of the floor in that short amount of time. Collin Chandler threw the ball to the opposite free throw line where Moreno caught it, turned and calmly hit the game winner.
Otega Oweh led the Cats with 21 points and Denzel Aberdeen added 17. Andrija Jelavic had 11 and Moreno finished with 10.
Kentucky (11-6, 2-2 Southeastern Conference) trailed by 16 at the half, then outscored LSU 53-36 in the second half.
LSU scored the first six points of the game before UK got on the board via a Jelavic free throw. After missing their first four shots, the Cats got a Jelavic layup to cut the deficit to 6-3. However, the Tigers scored the next 12 to build the early lead.
Oweh hit two free throws, then the teams traded free throws and the Tigers led 19-6. A Jelavic three cut the deficit to 10. After an LSU basket, Moreno scored on a putback to cut the deficit to 21-11. LSU would make two free throws to lead by 12.
Chandler hit a three to make it 23-14, but the Tigers scored the next six to lead by 15. An Oweh bucket cut the deficit to 29-16. After an LSU free throw, UK got a basket from Oweh and a dunk from Chandler to get within 10 points, 30-20. LSU responded again, scoring the next five to lead by 15.
Mo Dioubate scored on a tip in, but LSU hit a three to close the first half scoring. The Tigers led 38-22 at the break.
LSU hit two free throws to get the second-half scoring started, but Aberdeen hit a three to get UK within 15 at 40-25. After the Tigers scored, Kentucky got an Oweh free throw, an Aberdeen basket and threes from Jelavic and Kam Williams to get within eight, 42-34. LSU would hit a pair of free throws to lead by 10 again.
Aberdeen hit a three, but LSU responded with a basket to lead by nine. After two Oweh free throws, the Tigers hit a three to lead 49-39. Jelavic scored on a layup, but LSU hit a three to lead by 11.
Aberdeen scored on a driving layup, then hit three of three at the line to get the Cats within six, 52-46. After an LSU basket, Chandler hit a three and UK was within five. The Tigers answered with a three, but Oweh then hit a triple of his own to make it 57-52. LSU would score again to lead by seven.
Two Aberdeen free throws got the Cats within five again, 59-54. LSU would scored the next four before Aberdeen scored on a fast-break dunk to make it 63-56. The teams would trade baskets, with Oweh scoring for the Cats, and LSU led 65-58.
Moreno converted a three-point play to get UK within four, then Oweh hit a three to make it 65-64. LSU hit a three, but Oweh answered with a three of his own to get the Cats within one again.
Williams stole the ball and raced down the floor for a dunk that gave Kentucky its first lead of the game. That lead lasted 26 seconds, as LSU scored to lead 70-69.
Moreno scored with 2:24 left to give UK a one-point lead, but LSU hit two free throws with 1:40 remaining to lead by one, 72-71. Chandler tied the game with a free throw and Kentucky appeared to take the lead with 42 seconds remaining. However, Oweh’s shot was ruled to have come after the shot clock expired and the game remained tied.
LSU took the lead with a pair of free throws with 17.4 seconds to play. After a timeout, Oweh was fouled driving to the basket and was awarded two free throws. He made the first but missed the second. However, LSU missed two free throws with 1.6 seconds left, setting the stage for Moreno’s heroics.
Kentucky returns to action on Saturday, visiting Tennessee in Knoxville. Tipoff is set for noon ET and the game can be seen on ESPN.
