Cam Hayes takes charge, LSU rallies to beat Winthrop

Cam Hayes scored 25 points and LSU used its superior depth to shake off Winthrop 89-81 in a non-conference game Saturday night in Baton Rouge, La.

KJ Williams added 18 points and Adam Miller scored 14 for The Tigers (10-1), who outscored the Eagles (5-7) 51-42 in the second half.

Cory Hightower scored 25, Kelton Talford had 23, Sin'Cere McMahon added 18 and Kasen Harrison had 11 for Winthrop, which used just six players until the final minute. As a result, the Tigers' bench outscored the Eagles bench 15-1.

Both teams shot better than 50 percent from the floor and better than 40 percent on 3-pointers.

Talford's dunk started the second-half scoring and gave Winthrop a 41-38 lead.

The score was tied three times and the lead changed hands three times before a jumper by Miller and a 3-pointer by Justice Hill gave the Tigers a 53-48 lead.

The score was tied again at 54 and 56 before the lead changed hands six times and Williams' second consecutive basket gave LSU a 66-63 lead.

Talford's basket cut the lead to one before the Tigers scored seven straight points for a 73-65 lead.

The Eagles got within five, but Miller's jumper and 3-pointer pushed the lead to 80-68 with 3:40 left.

Winthrop kept coming back, climbing within four points with 1:21 left before Williams answered with a 3-pointer.

Hayes and Hill each made two 3-pointers as LSU opened a 14-5 lead less than four minutes into the game.

Hightower made back-to-back 3-pointers to help Winthrop take a four-point lead before the score was tied at 23, 25 and 27.

Miller broke the final tie by scoring five straight points. Two baskets by McMahon and a jumper by Harrison put the Eagles back on top by a point.

The lead changed hands four more times, the final time coming when Talford's dunk sent Winthrop into halftime with a 39-38 lead.