Keyontae Johnson delivers dagger 3 to knock out Kentucky
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Keyontae Johnson’s inspirational story came full circle Sunday in the 2023 NCAA Tournament.
More than 27 months after collapsing on the court in the Florida-FSU game, Johnson’s return to the hardwood culminated in him hitting the biggest shot of his career on the sport’s biggest stage.
After missing the rest of the 2020-21 season and all of the next year, Johnson suited up one last time with the Gators for an honorary start on Senior Night. He received the opening tip before kissing Billy Donovan Court and exiting to a standing ovation.
The team on the other side was Kentucky. In his first two years at UF, Johnson went 0-4 against the Wildcats and had to watch from the sidelines as they spoiled his final game in the O’Dome. UK was fortunate Johnson hadn’t been cleared to play that night.
He transferred to Kansas State and, after an incredible comeback season, found himself matched up with his former rival in the second round of the Big Dance. Johnson struggled from downtown in the first two games of the tournament, missing his first five 3-pointers.
But with under 90 seconds to play and KSU clinging to a 64-62 lead, Johnson drilled a dagger stepback 3 late in the shot clock run to put the Wildcats up by five points.
“I’m always in the gym, just shooting. I might go 0-for-3 for the first three shots and just keep shooting with confidence,” Johnson said after the game. “Everybody kept telling me, ‘It’s gonna fall.’ I just believed in them and trusted my work to finally knock down a shot. And I knocked it down hit at the right time.”
Johnson finished with 13 points, four rebounds, three assists and a steal in Kansas State’s 75-69 win over Kentucky. He finally beat the Wildcats and advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time in his career after being eliminated from the second round twice with the Gators.
No. 3 seed Kansas State will face No. 7 Michigan State on Thursday at 6:30 PM ET.
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