Clutch time: Notae lifts Arkansas to win in final seconds over LSU

JD Notae came through in the clutch as No. 14 Arkansas beat LSU for the Hogs’ 14th win in their last 15 games.

JD Notae had arguably his worst game, statistic of the year 2022. But when the game was on the line, the reigning National Player of the Week came through in the clutch.

Notae knocked down a pair of free throws with 8.6 seconds left to lift No. 14 Arkansas to a 77-76 win over LSU on Wednesday night in front of a packed house at Bud Walton Arena.

The win is Arkansas’ 14th in its last 15 games and provided for a season sweep of LSU, which fell below .500 in SEC play. Arkansas’ win lifted the Hogs to a 13-4 record in conference play and kept alive the chance at a regular-season SEC crown.

LSU had a final shot at victory after Notae’s foul shots, but Xavier Pinson, who didn’t play in the teams’ first meeting, missed a shot at the rim and the Arkansas bench exploded.

Jaylin Williams, who fouled out with more than four minutes left, had his seventh straight double-double, scoring 19 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Stanley Umude scored an Arkansas high 23 points. Notae had just 12 points, his lowest total since Dec. 1, but he had seven rebounds and five assists.

Tari Eason led all scorers with 24 points for LSU.

Arkansas ends its regular season at Tennessee on Saturday at 11 a.m.