LSU players celebrate after defeating Maryland 69-67 in a second-round game in the NCAA men’s college basketball tournament in Jacksonville, Fla., Saturday, March 23, 2019. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — It’s probably the same play suspended LSU coach Will Wade would have called.
After all, it worked several times during the regular season. And now it has the Tigers in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2006.
Tremont Waters drove by three defenders and scooped in a banking layup with 1.6 seconds remaining to give third-seeded LSU a 69-67 victory over sixth-seeded Maryland in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday.
“Great players make great plays, and he made a great play,” interim coach Tony Benford said.
After Maryland’s Eric Ayala failed to get off a shot from midcourt before the final buzzer, LSU players mobbed Waters under the basket. They could have done the same to Skylar Mays, who scored 16 points and hit a huge 3-pointer with 40 seconds remaining that put the Tigers (28-6) up 67-64.
Jalen Smith answered on the other end, sending the packed crowd into a frenzy and prompting LSU to call timeout.
Benford dialed up the final play for Waters, a dynamic sophomore who has been terrific all season.
“The players knew exactly what was coming,” Maryland coach Mark Turgeon said. “We all knew what was coming. It was whether we were going to be able to stop it or not.”
The 5-foot-11 Waters got a pick from big man Naz Reid, drove into the lane and somehow got off the winner.
“I was in the bottom of the dog pile, and just the feeling, it feels amazing,” said Waters, who laughed off those who questioned whether he traveled. “I’m going to continue to do everything I can to help this team win and just keep pushing for my guys.”
Wade could only celebrate from afar. The head coach was banished indefinitely after details emerged about him talking to a recruiting middleman about a “strong ass offer” he made to a high schooler. If true, Wade clearly violated NCAA rules.
Maryland fans had some fun with the allegations.
One fan unhappy with the refs yelled “How much did Will Wade pay you?” Others chanted “Where’s your coach?” during timeouts.
Regardless, the Tigers advanced in the East without Wade and mired in controversy. They will face No. 2 seed Michigan State on Friday.
They also dedicated the season to the memory of Wayde Sims, their teammate shot and killed in late September.