As Tennessee's potential game-winner bounced awry in the final seconds of overtime, the ball couldn't have found more fitting hands on a fitful Saturday in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.

Freshman guard Javonte Smart, already with a career high, snatched the rebound and drew a foul amid the associated scramble.

And the hometown product from Scotlandville stepped up, once again, to sink a pair of free throws to send No. 13 LSU (22-5, 12-2) to the 82-80 defeat of No. 5 Tennessee (24-3, 12-2) and send the home crowd into hysterics.

Smart finished with a game-high 29 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals in the absence of sophomore guard Tremont Waters and amid a frustrating performance for freshman star Naz Reid.

And junior guard Skylar Mays added 23 points — one shy of his own career high — to help lead the way on a Saturday that couldn't have started much worse.

The victory pulls the Tigers back into a tie for first place in the SEC — despite Wednesday's overtime loss to Florida — with victories over both their counterparts, the Volunteers and No. 4 Kentucky (22-4, 11-2), atop the standings.

The Tigers started without Waters for the first time in the sophomore's career.

And Reid was quickly forced to the bench just 3:42 into play after committing his second foul.

But Mays and company battled through one obstacle after another to lead, 31-30, in the final minutes of the half before six straight Tennessee points heading into the locker room.

The 31 points matched Will Wade's team's lowest-scoring half of the season on its home court, tying Dec. 21 against Furman and Wednesday against Florida.

Still, LSU hung to within 36-31 of its highly ranked visitors at the midway mark despite being out-shot and out-rebounded by the Volunteers and having one missed field goal the only statistic recorded by either Reid or Waters.

Tennessee shot 47 percent from the field to the Tigers' 32 — with both hitting just 25 percent of their 3-pointers — and claimed 22 boards to LSU's 16.

The Volunteers also managed slight advantages in points in the paint, 12-8, and second-chance scoring, 8-4.

But they could never quite pull away from their feisty hosts, with Smart in particular seeming to gain more and more confidence as the game progressed.

Tennessee stretched its lead to nine early in the second half, but watched the Tigers claw their way out of the drought and right back to within two points on four separate occasions and finally back to within one.

Seniors Admiral Schofield and Kyle Alexander provided the Volunteers several timely shots.

But LSU found an answer each time, including nine quick points by freshman guard Javonte Smart in four possessions to draw back to within 67-66 with 2:41 to play.

Junior forward Grant Williams hit a pair of free throws to push Tennessee's lead to 69-66.

But with 1:20 remaining, Mays drained a clutch 3-pointer to tie the game and give the Tigers' their first share of the lead since 31-30.

And the junior guard added a pair of free throws with 44 seconds remaining.

But Williams answered with an easy basket in the lane 11 seconds later to re-tie the score.

Neither side being able to break the 71-71 stalemate in regulation, and the teams traded baskets during the overtime period until Reid split a pair of free-throws for a 78-77 lead.

Williams lifted the Volunteers back ahead, 80-78, with a three-point play in the lane.

LSU missed on a Smart drive and Reid putback attempt in response. But senior center Kavell Bigby-Williams crashed the boards to pull back even to set up the dramatic finish.

The Tigers won despite shooting just (25-for-65) 38 percent from the field and (8-for-25) 32 percent from 3-point range — compared to Tennessee's (30-for-67) 45 percent and (8-for-22) 36 percent, respectively.

LSU turned the ball over just seven times and forced 14 by the Volunteers.

The Tigers came back in the second half to finish 30 points in the paint to Tennessee's 22, as well as take advantages in points off turnovers, 17-9, and second-chance points, 17-11.

Reid finished 0-for-9 from the field with just one point and seven rebounds.

Bigby-Williams finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Freshman forward Darius Days scored nine points for LSU off the bench on three critical 3-pointers.

LSU improved to 4-2 in overtime this season, including 3-1 in SEC play.