Freshmen Naz Reid and Emmitt Williams scored 15 points each, point guard Tremont Waters had 12 points and six assists, and three other LSU players scored in double figures to power the Tigers to their seventh consecutive victory, 89-67 over South Carolina on Saturday in SEC play at Baton Rouge, La.

LSU's record (14-3, 4-0 SEC) is the school's best start in 10 years. In posting its 17th consecutive home win, LSU led by as many as 33 points in the second half. South Carolina (9-8, 4-1), which entered on a five-game winning streak, never got closer than 19 in losing its first conference game.

The other Tigers in double figures were center Kavell Bigby-Williams (12 points, 11 rebounds), freshman Ja'Vonte Smart (12 points) and Marlon Taylor (10).

Guard A.J. Lawson led South Carolina with 18 points.

LSU had seven of its 11 steals in the first half and forced South Carolina into 10 first-half turnovers, while bolting to a 48-28 halftime lead. Williams scored 11 first-half points and grabbed six rebounds as the Tigers closed the half on a 20-7 run in the final 7:58, with seven points coming from Williams.

Waters started fast with eight points and four assists in the first half, and he had only one turnover, which has been the one weakness in his game this season.

The Tigers also held a big edge at the foul line, making 13 of 16 in the first half compared to South Carolina's 4 of 11. LSU consistently beat the Gamecocks in transition for easy layups, which contributed to their 48.5 percent field-goal shooting (16 of 33) in the first half. LSU held South Carolina to 41.4 percent shooting in the first half.

LSU widened its lead to 62-36 with a 14-8 start to the second half, with four points each from Reid and Bigby-Williams

After impressive conference road wins over Florida and Vanderbilt, South Carolina lost for the first time in SEC play. The Gamecocks may have suffered from having to play three games in six days, due the weather-related delay of their game against Missouri to last Sunday.

Chris Silva, the Gamecocks' second-leading scorer coming in, was in foul trouble all game and played only eight minutes, scoring seven points before fouling out.

--Field Level Media