LSU’s Win Has a Special Quality

The play is called “Special,” and it now owns a place in Louisiana State basketball lore.

Guard Darrel Mitchell made a go-ahead three-pointer at the end of the Tigers’ set play with 3.9 seconds left to give No. 4-seeded LSU a 58-57 victory over No. 12 Texas A&M; in a second-round Atlanta Regional game at Veterans Memorial Arena.

The Tigers (25-8) advance to meet No. 1-seeded Duke on Thursday night at the Georgia Dome.

Out of a timeout with 14 seconds left, Mitchell looked toward center Glen Davis in the low post, then decided to shoot over the Aggies’ 6-foot-10 Antanas Kavaliauskas.

“It was unexplainable,” Mitchell said. “He gave me enough room, and I was able to ... take a good shot.”

After Mitchell’s basket and a timeout, A&M;’s Jason Carter lost his dribble in the backcourt, and time ran out before either team could get possession.

Davis, LSU’s 6-foot-9, 310-pound star, led the Tigers with 21 points and eight rebounds, and Mitchell finished with 16.

But Mitchell’s big moment came on the final play, one assistant coach Butch Pierre suggested during the timeout that preceded it.

Mitchell flashed to the right wing and caught the ball, then dribbled to where he felt comfortable and launched one of the biggest shots of his career.

“When he let it go, I felt confident that it was going in,” Coach John Brady said.

Brady’s confidence jumped early in the game as well, when LSU raced to a 15-3 lead and appeared primed to blow out Texas A&M; (22-9). But the Aggies rallied to tie the score at 29 on a Kavaliauskas tip-in an instant before the first-half buzzer.

The second half followed a similar pattern.

The Tigers appeared to be in control when they went ahead, 53-46, on two Mitchell free throws with 3:31 remaining. But A&M; scored 11 of the next 13 points, capping the rally with an Acie Law jump shot with 18 seconds remaining. Law led his team with 15 points.

“We continued to fight,” Law said. “But credit to LSU. They got a big win.”