By BRYAN LAZARE , Associated Press
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Emmitt Williams and Naz Reid each scored 15 points as LSU extended its winning streak to seven games by defeating South Carolina 89-67 in a Southeastern Conference game Saturday night.
The Tigers (14-3, 4-0), who led for nearly the entire game, have won their first four SEC games for the first time in 13 seasons. LSU’s 2006 Final Four team won its first seven conference games.
Williams, whose 15 points matched his season-high, also grabbed a season-best 13 rebounds. Williams and Reid were two of six LSU players who scored at least ten points. Kavell Bigby-Williams, Ja’vonte Smart and Tremont Waters each had 12 points. Marlon Taylor had 10 points.
A.J. Lawson led the Gamecocks (9-8, 4-1) with 18 points and Keyshawn Bryant scored 10. South Carolina, which had its five-game win streak snapped, was outscored 32-6 at the foul line.
Two good stretches enabled LSU to build a 48-28 halftime lead. A basket by Williams with 12:03 before halftime capped a 10-2 run and put LSU ahead 21-13.
Williams scored seven points as LSU went on a 15-4 run over the final six-plus minutes of the first half. A layup by Skylar Mays with 51 seconds left gave the Tigers a 48-28 lead at the break.
BIG PICTURE
LSU: The Tigers, who have won 17 consecutive home games, are one of two teams undefeated in SEC play. Tennessee is 5-0 in the conference after beating Alabama on Saturday.
South Carolina: The Gamecocks, who had rallied from double-digit deficits in the final ten minutes for road victories at Florida and Vanderbilt, never made a serious dent in LSU’s lead in the second half. South Carolina, which was 4-0 in the SEC for just the third time since joining the league, came no closer than 19 points after halftime.
UP NEXT
LSU: The Tigers will try to remain undefeated in SEC play when they host Georgia on Wednesday.
South Carolina: After splitting two road games, the Gamecocks will return home to play Auburn on Tuesday.
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