Tremont Waters made a tie-breaking layup with two seconds left as third-seeded LSU held off sixth-seeded Maryland 69-67 in an NCAA East Regional second-round game Saturday in Jacksonville, Fla.
Waters' basket created the final separation in a tight game in which the score was tied six times in the last 6½ minutes. Defense dominated the game as both teams shot below 40 percent from the floor.
The Tigers (28-6), who edged 14th-seeded Yale 79-74 on Thursday, will face the winner of Saturday's later game between No. 2 seed Michigan State and No. 10 seed Minnesota in a regional semifinal next weekend in Washington D.C.
Skylar Mays added 16 points for LSU, Naz Reid scored 13, Waters had 12 and Darius Days 10.
Jalen Smith scored 15 points, Aaron Wiggins and Anthony Cowan Jr. scored 11 each, Bruno Fernando had 10 points and 15 rebounds and Darryl Morsell scored 10 for the Terrapins (23-11).
Smith's 3-pointer tied the score with 28 seconds left and the Tigers called timeout eight seconds later. Waters, a sophomore guard who is LSU's leading scorer, drove to the basket and made a scoop shot.
LSU led by as many as 15 in the first half, nine at halftime and rebuilt the margin to 15 early in the second half.
Waters had two baskets and an assist among the Tigers' first eight points before the Terps made a move.
Cowan made two 3-pointers during a 13-3 run that pulled Maryland within 49-44.
LSU made just one field goal during a span of more than six minutes after Reid's three-point play increased the lead to 54-45.
The Terps went on a 12-1 run to grab a 57-55 lead before the score was tied four times.
Mays' 3-pointer gave the Tigers a 67-64 lead with 40 seconds left, but Smith's 3-pointer tied the score 12 seconds later.
Days, Javonte Smart and Kavell Bigby-Williams did most of the scoring as the Tigers opened a 30-15 lead.
LSU led by 15 once more before Wiggins made consecutive 3-pointers to cut the lead to 38-29 at halftime.
--Field Level Media