Tremont Waters scored 18 points and Skylar Mays sparked a 12-0 run early in the second half to lift LSU to a 71-61 victory against Memphis in a non-conference game at the FedExForum on Thursday night.

GAME-DECIDING STRETCH

A 3-pointer by Kyvon Davenport gave Memphis a 43-40 lead less than four minutes into the second half. LSU responded with a 12-0 run over a 3½-minute stretch. Mays scored the first eight points on two foul shots and back-to-back 3-pointers. Field goals by Brandon Sampson and Waters put LSU on top 52-43 with 12:49 remaining in the game. LSU led by at least six points the rest of the game.

LSU PLAYER OF THE GAME

Once again. Waters was the person who ran the show for LSU. For the sixth time this season, Waters scored at least 18 points. He was 6-of-12 from the field, including 3-of-6 on 3-pointers. For the second straight game, Waters made at least 50 percent of his field goal attempts and 50 percent of his 3-pointers. For the fifth time this season, Waters handed out eight assists in a game. LSU has won all five of those games by double digits. Waters had two negative numbers – two missed foul shots out of five attempts and four turnovers. He played all but two minutes.

KEY TEAM STATISTICS

Field goal percentage – LSU 46 percent (25-of-54), Memphis 37 percent (22-of-59)

3-point field goal percentage – LSU 50 percent (13-of-26), Memphis 18 percent (4-of-22)

Free throw percentage – Memphis 65 percent (13-of-20), LSU 50 percent (8-of-16)

Points in the paint – Memphis 34, LSU 24

Points off turnovers – LSU 22, Memphis 12

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

LSU

Tremont Waters: 18 points, 8 assists

Skylar Mays: 14 points, 5 rebounds

Brandon Sampson: 12 points

Wayde Sims: 8 points, 7 rebounds

Aaron Epps: 8 points, 6 rebounds

Duop Reath: 4 points, 6 rebounds

MEMPHIS

Kyvon Davenport: 17 points, 11 rebounds

Jeremiah Martin: 13 points, 6 assists

Jimario Rivers: 10 points, 5 rebounds

Raynere Thornton: 2 points, 5 rebounds

NOTES

The LSU starting lineup consisted of Waters at point guard, Mays and Darrel Edwards on the wings and Epps and Reath in the post. . .It was basically a seven-man rotation for LSU with Sampson and Sims both playing more than 20 minutes. Brandon Rachal and Randy Onwuasor each scored one point while on the floor for fewer than 10 minutes. . .Mays made four field goals – all from behind the 3-point line. The four 3-pointers matched his career high. He also had four assists. . .Reath missed seven of his nine field goal attempts. Epps made his three field goal attempts, two being 3-pointers. Both Reath and Epps fouled out. . .Sims, who was 4-of-7 from the field, was LSU’s most productive post player. . .Sampson was 4-of-7 from the field, including 3-of-6 on 3-point shots. . .Edwards had five points and two assists in 21 minutes. . .Davenport matched his career-high with 17 points. Martin’s 13 points were six below his per game average. . .LSU trailed for most of the first half. Memphis built a seven-point lead at 33-26 following a basket by Mike Parks with 5:11 before halftime. LSU answered with an 8-0 run to take its firs lead. A 3-pointer by Epps put LSU on top 34-33. A field goal by Rivers at the buzzer tied the score at 36-36. . .Memphis reduced its deficit to six points at 59-53 on two foul shots by Martin just under the nine-minute mark. Sampson made one of two foul shots and knocked down a 3-pointer to give LSU a double-digit lead at 63-53. LSU held at least a seven-point advantage the rest of the way. . .LSU held its opponent to less than 40 percent field-goal shooting for the third straight game. The 61 points were a season-low for Memphis. . .It had been three seasons since LSU gave up as few as 61 points in a true road game. LSU won at Auburn 85-61 in February of 2015. . .LSU’s last road victory came at Missouri last January. . .LSU is 9-3, while Memphis is 9-4. The paid attendance was 9,468.

FROM THE LOCKER ROOM

Coach Will Wade’s comments: “(Skylar) Mays got us going to start the second half. We tried to run some intricate stuff (in the first half). At halftime, we just said ‘let’s scrap it.’ We just let Tremont (Waters) go make plays for other people. Skylar was the beneficiary of that. He was able to get us going. (Brandon) Sampson played a really good floor game. He had a couple of big rebounds down the stretch.”

UP NEXT

LSU will play host to Kentucky at the PMAC in its SEC opener Wednesday. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Central. The Wildcats (9-2) will play Louisville in Lexington on Friday afternoon. The LSU-Kentucky game will be available on the SEC Network.