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Memphis downs LSU in Old Spice Classic semis

Nov 30, 2013 - 1:29 AM Orlando, FL (SportsNetwork.com) - Austin Nichols scored 19 points with eight rebounds and Chris Crawford netted 17 points to lead the Memphis Tigers to a 76-69 win over the LSU Tigers in the semifinals of the Old Spice Classic.

Joe Jackson added 16 points with seven assists and four steals for Memphis, which will play fifth-ranked Oklahoma State in the finals on Sunday.

The championship game will be a rematch of a Nov. 19th battle between the two schools, which saw Oklahoma State give Memphis its lone loss on the season, a 101-80 rout in Stillwater. Marcus Smart had a career-high 39 points in that tilt.

Anthony Hickey paced all scorers with 20 points and Johnny O'Bryant III added 14 with nine rebounds. O'Bryant, though, had 10 turnovers in the loss, the amount Memphis had as a team.

LSU will play Butler in the third-place game.

Crawford tied the game, 30-30, with a 3-pointer late in the first half. Hickey answered with a triple at 3:01 to break the tie and help lead an 8-0 run for LSU.

Jackson made a jumper to end the spurt and Crawford added two at the line with 54 ticks to go which pulled Memphis within four, 38-34, at the break.

LSU led in the opening minutes of the second, extending its lead to 57-49 after a Malik Morgan layup with 12:32 remaining in the game.

Memphis then went on an 11-2 run capped by Crawford, who made a layup at 9:30 to give Memphis its first lead since the first half, 60-59.

The two clubs would go back-and-forth from there. Jackson broke a 64-64 tie with a jumper at 3:42 and followed that with a layup after an O'Bryant turnover.

Jackson would add two free throws with 54 seconds left to extend the lead to 72-66 and Memphis held on to win the battle of the Tiger.

Game Notes

Jordan Mickey scored 10 points with six rebounds and four blocks for LSU ... LSU shot 30-for-53 (56.6 percent) from the field but committed 24 turnovers ... LSU outrebounded Memphis 37-25 ... Memphis shot 15-of-19 (78.9 percent) from the free throw line while LSU shot 4-of-9 (44.4 percent).