Three-Pointer by LSU’s Blanton Sinks 18th-Ranked UNLV, 88-87
The play was designed for Chris Jackson, but Ricky Blanton wound up with the ball and hit the game-winning shot Saturday in Louisiana State’s 88-87 victory over 18th-ranked Nevada Las Vegas.
Blanton’s three-pointer from the right baseline came with four seconds left in the nationally televised game, after UNLV’s Greg Anthony missed a free throw and Wayne Sims got the rebound for LSU.
Sims’ pass to Jackson almost went out of bounds, but the freshman guard made an acrobatic save and got the ball back to Sims, who threw it to Lyle Mouton. Mouton looked for Jackson, who finished with 29 points, but instead found Blanton, who had 18.
“He was like Captain Marvel--Shazam!” LSU Coach Dale Brown said of Jackson’s save. “I don’t know how he saved it, but he did.”
UNLV (20-7) took an 84-83 lead with 1:12 left, on an eight-foot jumper by Anthony, and increased its lead to 86-83 when Anthony hit another jumper with 33 seconds remaining.
Jackson then sank a jumper from just inside the three-point line to bring LSU (20-8) to within 86-85.
With 15 seconds to play, Anthony missed the second shot of a one-and-one. That set up the winning play.
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