Cam Hayes scored 25 points shooting 8 for 11 and LSU fought off feisty Winthrop, pulling away in the second half for an 89-81 win on Saturday night.
Despite their size advantage, the Tigers (10-1) needed a 14-3 run to in a three-minute stretch to build its first double-digit lead of the game at 80-68 on Adam Miller’s 3-pointer with 3:40 left.
As they had done all game; however, the Eagles countered with a 10-2 run to get within 82-78. But KJ Williams made a 3-pointer with 48 seconds left and LSU sealed it from there. Williams finished with 18 points and Miller 14.
Twelve of LSU’s first 14 points came on two pairs of 3-pointers by Hayes and Justice Hill and the Tigers led 14-5. But the Eagles — who are 0-5 on the road this season — went on a 12-2 run for a 17-16 lead. Neither team led by more five points (LSU 32-27, Winthrop 23-19) the remainder of the half and the Eagles led 39-38 at intermission.
LSU remained unbeaten at home posting its seventh win of the season. The Tigers have won 11 straight at home since suffering its last loss there on Feb. 1 against Ole Miss.
Cory Hightower scored 25 points for Winthrop (5-7), Kelton Talford 23 on 11-for-15 shooting, Sincere McMahon added 18 points and Kasen Harrison 11.
This was just the second matchup all-time between the two schools. The first and only meeting came in 1993 at LSU with Tigers winning 100-71.
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