SPOKANE, Wash. – Donovan Dent’s step-back three-point shot with 1.5 seconds remaining pushed the LSU Tigers to a come-from-behind, 81-80, victory over No. 14 Gonzaga Saturday afternoon at Numerica Veterans Arena.
Dent helped LSU rally from a 13-point deficit in the final eight minutes of the contest and post its first victory over a ranked team in 15 contests. It was Head Coach Will Wade’s 11th win against a ranked team while coaching LSU.
It was LSU’s first win against an AP-ranked team since February of 2024 when LSU defeated Kentucky in Baton Rouge on a buzzer beater.
Dent also made a buzzer beating three-pointer at the end of the first half that gave the Tigers a 39-37 lead.
LSU played its now standard rotation of eight players and they all responded in kind down the stretch in various ways.
The Tigers trailed 68-55 with 8:11 to go in the game and looked to be in trouble as Gonzaga continued to gain momentum by shooting well from the field. Gonzaga still led by 10, 75-65, with 4:41 to play. From there LSU would outscore The Zags, 16-5, to get the win.
But it took a while to get going.
Down 79-71 with 3:02 to play, LSU’s Michael Ruzic hit a three-pointer, then Dent hit a driving layup for a 79-76 Gonzaga lead. Dent missed the and-one free throw but Skyy Clark got the offensive rebound and was fouled. Clark made two free throws and LSU trailed by one, 79-78, with 1:14 to play.
Neither team could crack through over the next minute in multiple possessions before Gonzaga hit 1-of-2 free throws with 12 seconds left to put the Bulldogs up, 80-78.
That gave LSU its chance and Dent responded with the game-winning left-wing three to set off a wild celebration on the LSU bench.
Gonzaga had one chance with 1.5 seconds to play. The Zags got off a near halfcourt shot as the horn sounded, but it wasn’t close, wrapping up the Tigers victory to go to 4-0 on the season.
Dent, for the third time in four games, had a double-double with 23 points and 10 assists, while Abdi Bashir had 15 points with five three-pointers, Clark scored 14 and Ruzic another double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds (seven offensive).
Braden Huff had 18 points to lead Gonzaga (2-1) with 18, while Davis Fogle scored 15 and Isiah Harwell had 14.
LSU shot 43.1 percent for the game (28-of-65) with 12 three-pointers. The Tigers were 13-of-16 at the free throw line. Gonzaga, despite shooting 53.3 percent from the field in the second half, finished at 44.0 percent (33-of-74) with five treys and 9-of-14 at the stripe.
LSU and Gonzaga battled to a 42-42 draw in rebounds. The two teams were nearly even in second chance points with 17 for Gonzaga and 16 for LSU. Gonzaga had a 46-28 advantage in point in the paint and took advantage of 13 LSU turnovers for 16 points off turnovers. LSU had eight on the seven Gonzaga turnovers.
There were 13 lead changes and seven ties in the game and LSU led for 6:33 of the game, including the most important 1.5 seconds at the end.
Both of Dent’s three-pointers came in the final seconds of both halves.
The Tigers are back at the Maravich Center for two games this coming week, Wednesday against ULM and Saturday against Queens. Both games start at 7 p.m. Tickets are available at the LSU Athletics Ticket Office and online at LSUTix.net.
