Tremont Waters scored 16 of his game-high 20 points in the first half and freshman Ja'vonte Smart added 19 points to lift No. 19 LSU to an 83-79 victory over Georgia in Southeastern Conference play Saturday in Athens, Ga.

LSU (21-4, 11-1 SEC), which has won 14 of its last 15 games, used an 8-2 run to extend a 72-71 lead to 80-73 with 3:19 left. Waters was the key to the surge with two assists -- for a dunk and a layup -- and added a layup of his own. Waters finished with a game-high five assists.

Georgia (10-15, 1-11) still had a chance, trailing 82-79 after Derek Ogbeide made two free throws with 53 seconds left.

When LSU's Naz Reid missed a shot on the other end, the Bulldogs worked the ball inside to leading scorer Nicolas Claxton (17 points), who missed in the lane.

Skylar Mays made it a four-point game with 15.4 seconds left by making one of two free throws. Georgia tried to set up for a 3-pointer but wasted too much time and ultimately could not score again, dropping its sixth consecutive game.

Reid, held scoreless in the first half, scored eight of the Tigers' first nine points in the second half and finished with 13 points.

Georgia trailed 41-37 at halftime but took a 58-53 lead by making seven of its first 10 3-pointers. LSU rallied, but the Bulldogs made 11 of their first 14 shots in the second half and tied it at 68 with 7:03 left.

Waters scored 11 of LSU's first 21 points, including a 3-pointer that gave LSU its first lead, 21-20, with 10:08 left in the half. The Tigers had trailed 20-14 but used a 17-2 run over a 6:14 span to take a 31-22 lead.

In addition to his 16 first-half points, Waters had three assists and two steals. His interception of a pass near midcourt led to a circus assist to Mays, who dribbled in for a layup to cap the 17-2 run.

LSU led 41-37 at halftime, but the Tigers got a scare in the final 33 seconds when Waters slipped on a drive and hit his forehead against the knee of teammate Kavell Bigby-Williams. Waters got up slowly, rubbing his head.

Despite LSU's 60.7 percent shooting in the first half (17 of 28), Georgia stayed within range on Claxton's 10 points.

--Field Level Media