Memphis guard Geron Johnson (55) drives past LSU forward Shavon Coleman, right, during their NCAA basketball game at the Old Spice Classic tournament in Kissimmee, Fla., Friday, Nov. 29, 2013.LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - Austin Nichols scored 19 points, Chris Crawford had 17 and No. 21 Memphis beat LSU 76-69 Friday night in a semifinal at the Old Spice Classic.
Joe Jackson added 16 points for Memphis (4-1), which will play No. 5 Oklahoma State in Sunday night's championship game. The Cowboys got a major scare in Friday's other semifinal before beating Butler 69-67.
Memphis' only loss this season came to Oklahoma State, which won handily 101-80 on Nov. 19.
Anthony Hickey scored 20 points for LSU (4-2).
A pair of baskets by Jackson gave Memphis a 68-64 advantage with 3 minutes remaining. After Shavon Coleman made two free throws for LSU, Nichols connected on a jumper and Jackson converted two free throws that made it 72-66 with just under a minute remaining.
Hickey's 3 with 17 seconds left keep LSU close at 72-69.
Two more free throws by Jackson and Crawford's dunk during the final 13 seconds secured the win.
Memphis put together a 7-0 run, which featured a 3-point play and rebound basket by Nichols, to get to 57-56 midway through the second half. Memphis took a 60-59 lead when Crawford went the full board to score on a layup with 9 1/2 minutes to play.
Coleman put LSU up 55-47 on a jumper 7 minutes into the second half.
Hickey had eight points as LSU went up 38-34 at halftime. His jumper 91 seconds before the break gave LSU its largest lead during the opening 20 minutes at 38-30.