Saturday, Jan. 28, 1989 was the game of the decade for LSU basketball. 
66,144 people packed into the New Orleans Superdome as the Tigers knocked off the No. 2-ranked Georgetown Hoyas 82-80. 
“The victory, LSU’s fifth straight, improved the Tigers to 14-5 on the season and vaulted them into the Associates Press Top 20 at No. 19,” former Reveille reporter Scott Rabalais wrote. “This marks the first time LSU has been ranked since midway through the 1985-86 season.”
LSU lacked respect on a national level, despite being 13-5 with the sole lead in the Southeastern Conference before facing Georgetown. 
The Tigers came out strong, holding a 44-41 lead at halftime, but they struggled to keep up as the game went on, even as freshman phenom Chris Jackson put up 26 points. 
LSU struggled at the free throw line, allowing Georgetown to get within one point at 80-79 after Tigers guard Ricky Blanton made two free throws with 35 seconds remaining in the game. 
As the Hoyas came down the court, senior Charles Smith was fouled on a jumper and was sent to the free throw line. He missed the first and made the second to tie the game at 80.
Jackson, predictably, was triple-teamed as LSU drove down the court to win the game. He handed it off to Russell Grant, whose shot was deflected by Alonzo Mourning. 
LSU forward Wayne Sims then tipped the ball toward Blanton.
“Rickey Blanton grabbed a loose ball and banked a shot off the glass with two seconds left in the game to lift the LSU Tigers to an 82-80 upset victory over Georgetown,” Rabalais wrote. 
“If you took our talent and matched it up against Georgetown’s, maybe we shouldn’t have even shown up for the game,” LSU coach Dale Brown said that day. “But I have my own poll. I don’t care whether we’re ranked by the wire services. I have a poll for desire, and a poll for hustle, and a poll for love, and we’re No. 1 in all of those.”

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