ATLANTA (AP) — Too much Kentucky. Too much history.
Chuck Hayes spun into the lane to hit the winning shot with 7.9 seconds left in overtime, sending the No. 4 Wildcats to the championship game of the Southeastern Conference tournament with a 79-78 victory over LSU on Saturday.
Brandon Bass hit a miraculous shot for the Tigers as the buzzer sounded in regulation, forcing overtime with the score tied at 70. LSU built a five-point lead in the extra period, but it wasn’t enough to hold off the Wildcats and the weight of history.
Kentucky (25-4) will be going for its third straight SEC tournament title, its 11th in 14 years and 26th overall. LSU (20-9) has won it only once, way back in 1980.
Patrick Sparks hit a crucial 3-pointer from the corner to spark the Kentucky comeback, which was helped along when LSU’s Glen Davis missed a pair of free throws with 39 seconds left.
Kelenna Azubuike, who led the Wildcats with 19 points, drew a foul and made the first of two free throws to pull Kentucky to 78-77. When the second attempt clanked off the rim, Hayes swooped in grab the offensive rebound.
Kentucky called timeout and set up a play for its senior leader. The Wildcats worked the ball inside to Hayes, who spun around the 300-pound Davis and banked in the shot with his left hand.
LSU still had time to pull off the win, but Tack Minor drove wildly into the lane and lost the ball while trying to put up the shot. Appropriately, Hayes grabbed it as the horn sounded to send the Wildcats to the title game against Florida.
Once again, the Wildcats will have the record book on their side. The Gators have never won the SEC tournament, losing four times in the final.
Then again, Florida did beat Kentucky in the regular-season finale last weekend, pulling off a 53-52 upset in Gainesville.
Bass gave LSU a chance to knock off the Wildcats. After Kentucky missed three of four free throws in the final minute of regulation, the SEC player of the year took off down the court, pulled up just inside the 3-point line and lofted a jumper over Hayes’ outstretched arm.
The ball hit the back of the rim, then the backboard, then the rim two more times before dropping through as the buzzer sounded. Bass was mobbed by his teammates and actually ripped off his jersey to celebrate.
Of course, he had to put it back on for overtime.
LSU got a couple of fast-break layups for a 76-71 lead with 2 1/2 minutes left. That sent the Wildcats into desperation mode, and their sense of urgency paid off on the next possession.
Kentucky missed three shots underneath but fought for the offensive rebound each time. Finally, Bass fouled Hayes, who made both free throws.
Davis hit a couple of foul shots to restore the five-point cushion, but Sparks made his fifth 3-pointer of the game from deep in the corner. He finished with 17 points.
Antonio Hudson, who made four 3s, led LSU with 21 points. Bass had 16 points and 13 rebounds.
Kentucky freshman Joe Crawford, who briefly quit the team in January because he was upset about a lack of playing time, contributed a career-high 14 points. Most of them came early in the second half when the Wildcats’ bench kept them in the game.
LSU Quotes
Head Coach John Brady
On the difference in today’s game…
“I think we got a little fatigued but that’s our team. I am proud of our players. You can say this or that about a lot of plays in the game but it came down to two possessions where we didn’t get the rebound.”
On this game boosting LSU’s confidence…
“We were looking forward to this game. This Kentucky following is amazing and for our team to come in and play as well as it did in this environment, it has to help your team even in losing. It will help us in the NCAA tournament. It has to help your team and I think you take something positive from this.”
Glen Davis
On fatigue as a factor in the ballgame…
“I don’t think fatigue hit us hard. Coach has prepared us well for these moments and we’ve been in these situations before with three overtime games (this season). It’s just that things didn’t go our way with a free throw here or a rebound there. Things just really didn’t go our way.”
Brandon Bass
On his shot at the end of regulation…
“I thought the game was over because I thought we were only down one. That shot was big but it would’ve been bigger if we had won the game.”
Kentucky Quotes
Head Coach Tubby Smith
On Kentucky’s bench play…
“I was so proud of our bench. Those guys work just as hard, and I have the same standards for them as I do for the starters. They got their chance to perform today. They know I believe in them. I thought we were flat at the beginning of the second half, and I put in the bench to make a statement to the starters. Joe (Crawford) had some clutch baskets, and our bench outscored them (LSU) 23-7. It doesn’t matter who is in the game because I can plug guys into almost any position.”
On drawing the last play for Chuck Hayes to shoot…
“He’s just an aware player. I knew I could go to him and he would execute flawlessly. He was struggling, but he had his hands full with two of the best front court players in the country.”
Chuck Hayes
On hitting the winning shot…
“That’s where have to thank my coaches. I had been struggling with shooting, and I was in foul trouble. After all that, the team was still behind me and Coach (Smith) called my number. It’s my senior year, so this is my last SEC tournament. You always hear ‘seize the moment’ and that’s what I tried to do.”
Patrick Sparks
On LSU…
“They got us early on at home. They came out with intensity, and I”m sure they’ll do some damage in the tournament with their good players.”
Game Notes:
Prior to today, the last overtime semifinal game in the SEC Tournament was 3/11/00 when Auburn downed South Carolina, 77-72, here in Atlanta … Two overtime games were played in last year’s quarterfinals (the last OT games in the tournament).
Kentucky now has won five-straight games in the SEC Tournament over LSU, 14 of 15 overall and are 8-0 in the semifinals vs. the Tigers … LSU’s lone win came in the 1980 final in Birmingham, 80-78, for the Tigers’ lone SEC tourney crown.
The 31-point regular-season victory over LSU (1/22/05) was Kentucky’s largest of the season and LSU’s most lopsided defeat.
Kentucky Notes:
This was Kentucky’s third overtime game in their SEC Tournament history … The Wildcats now are a perfect 3-0 after the 79-78 win with victories in 1940 over Tennessee (2OT) in the semifinals (30-29) and over Arkansas in the 1995 final (95-93). With Kentucky trailing 36-31 with 18:14 to play in the second half, Kentucky Head Coach Tubby Smith emptied his bench … The result was nine-straight points by freshman guard Joe Crawford, spurring a 13-5 Wildcat run over the next six minutes with the five new players … Crawford drilled a three pointer (18:00), hit another three 45 seconds later, was fouled and completed the four-point play, then hit a runner at the 16:00 mark to give UK a 40-38 lead. Crawford’s nine-point run — by itself — is the third-highest scoring game of his career and his highest point total vs. an SEC team … He had five first-half points and finished with a career-high 14 points, besting his previous mark of 12 points against William & Mary 12/22/04. Fueled by the above-mentioned second-half early subs, Kentucky easily won the battle of bench points by a 23-7 margin. Kentucky trailed 32-31 at halftime and with the win now is 7-3 when trailing at halftime. Kentucky’s win today improves an already amazing record in SEC Tournament semifinal games … The Wildcats now are 34-1 in the semifinals with the lone loss coming 39-28 to Tennessee in the 1936 classic in Knoxville. Kentucky now extends its SEC Tournament all-time record to 107-17 with the win today … The Wildcats now have won 34 of their last 37 games in the event, winning 10 SEC Tournament crowns in that span. Kentucky advances to their 34th SEC Tournament title game looking for its 27th crown and its third in a row … The Wildcats’ 26 SEC Tournament championships are seven more than the 19 combined titles of the remaining SEC teams — past and present.
LSU Notes:
Today’s game was LSU’s first OT SEC Tournament contest since the Tigers defeated Georgia, 89-88 in two overtimes to advance to the 1987 title game here in Atlanta (The Omni, 3/8) … With the loss, LSU now is 1-4 in SEC tourney OT games with that 1987 contest being the lone victory. Down 69-62 with 1:32 to play, LSU finished regulation on an 8-1 run to send the game in overtime after Brandon Bass’s jumper as time expired … Darrel Mitchell hit his only three pointer of the game (and LSU’s only trey after the first half) to fuel the run and pull LSU within one before Bass’s heroics. Antonio Hudson finished with 21 points, but had just five after the break. Brandon Bass finished with 16 points and 13 rebounds for his 18th career double-double and his 11th this season. LSU was 5-of-11 from three-point range in building a 32-31 halftime lead … After halftime, however, LSU was just 2-of-11 but hit two three pointers in the 8-1 run to end regulation and send the game into overtime. The Tigers now are 40-45 all-time in SEC Tournament play.