LOS ANGELES – Will Johnston hit not one go-ahead shot, but two in the closing seconds of LMU's 76-75 win over Prairie View A&M on Saturday night. The Lions fought through 12 tie scores and 10 lead changes to secure the home win.
 
With less than 33 seconds remaining in the game and LMU coming out of a timeout down three, the Lions needed a big play and fast. Johnston received the inbounds pass and dribbled for a few seconds until he found his opening. The senior captain fired away a top of the arc three and drew the contact to not only tie the game but get a chance for a go-ahead free throw. Johnston, who finished perfect in the game from the charity stripe knocked down his seventh free throw of the half to push LMU ahead with 24 seconds remaining.
 
Prairie View A&M was fouled with 2.8 on the clock and walked up calmly to the line, knocking down the tying and go-ahead free throws.
 
The Lions, with no timeouts remaining, executed a perfect end-of-game play that included a three-quarter court heave by Alex Merkviladze, a leaping catch into an over-the-head pass by Aaron McBride into a game-winning reverse layup by Johnston to beat the buzzer. The win was the second in a row for the Lions in this homestand and third consecutive over Prairie View A&M.
 
The game started with Jevon Porter hitting a three to open the story and set LMU up to lead 5-0 from the jump. Porter finished an assist shy of a triple double with 11 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists.
 
After Prairie View A&M pulled within two twice before a 9-0 run pushed LMU ahead 17-6 just past the midway point of the first half. McBride scored eight points in that run and tied his career-high with 10 first half points.
 
The Panthers climbed back into it late in the first half to tie the score at 32-32 heading into intermission.
 
McBride opened the second half with a dunk and finished with a career-high 12 points on 6-for-8 shooting.
 
After falling behind by a basket, Caleb Stone-Carrawell completed a personal 6-0 run to push LMU back up four just two and a half minutes into the second half. Stone-Carrawell converted a three-point play the old-fashioned way and then followed with a corner three for six of his 17 points.
 
Just past the midway point of the half, Prairie View A&M used an 8-0 run to retake the lead, 59-58, heading into the final eight minutes of play.
 
Johnston hit a go-ahead three as part of his 21 second half points en route to a game-high 23 total points.
 
The 8-1 run the Panthers used to turn a four-point deficit into a three-point lead that would setup Johnston's heroics.
 
Both teams shot the ball extremely well in the game as LMU finished at 48.1 percent (25-for-52) from the field and Prairie View hit 49 percent (25-for-51) of their shots. The eight threes made for the Lions more than doubled the three total of the visitors.
 
The marks two consecutive wins for LMU in this homestand with three games next week to close out non-conference play. The Lions host UC Santa Barbara on Wednesday, Southern University on Friday, and North Alabama on Sunday.
 
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