Donovan Dent’s late 3-pointer completes comeback as LSU rallies for 81-80 win over No. 14 Gonzaga

Spokane, Wash. (AP) — With just seconds remaining, LSU secured an 81-80 victory over No. 14 Gonzaga on Saturday. Donny Dent was the hero, hitting a 3-pointer with over a second left to clinch the win. Dent contributed 23 points and 10 assists in the first matchup between the two programs, playing off-campus at Spokane Arena. Davis Fogle missed a clutch shot from the free-throw line with 13 seconds remaining, dropping the score to 80-78.

Abdi Bashir Jr. contributed 15 points off the bench, while Skyy Clark added 14 points. LSU freshman center Michael Ruzic led the bench scorers with 12 points and 12 rebounds. Gonzaga's Braden Huff tallied 18 points and 13 rebounds. Fogle closed out the game with 15 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. Gonzaga took a 12-2 run to lead 59-51 with 11:47 left on the clock.

Isiah Harwell scored eight of those points on a duo of 3-pointers. Gonzaga extended their lead to 68-55 with 7:40 left after a 9-1 surge. LSU responded with a 7-0 run, and Clark drained two free throws to trim the gap to 79-78 with 1:13 left. Gonzaga regained the lead 37-33 with less than a minute left in the first half. Bashir's 3-pointer narrowed the gap to 37-36 with 40 seconds remaining.

Dent hit the decisive 3-pointer at the buzzer, giving LSU the 81-80 win. Dent had 16 points in the first half. Gonzaga struggled in the first half, shooting only 39% and missing all seven of their 3-point attempts. LSU shot 45% in the first half. Gonzaga hosts Montana State on Tuesday night.