LSU 71, Georgia 64

3/2/2008 3:58 PM

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) -Marcus Thornton scored 36 points as LSU rallied from a 16-point first-half deficit to defeat Georgia 71-64 in a Southeastern Conference game Sunday.

The victory was the third in a row for the Tigers (12-16, 5-9) and their first three-game winning streak in SEC play in two seasons. The Bulldogs (12-15, 3-11) have lost five consecutive games and all eight of their conference road games this season.

Thornton, who made five of seven from 3-point range, also grabbed 10 rebounds. Anthony Randolph had 19 points for LSU.

Billy Humphrey had a career-high 26 points for the Bulldogs. Terrance Woodbury had 11 points and Jeremy Price added 10 for Georgia.

Thornton broke a 59-59 tie with a tip in with 3:31 remaining. After a steal by Randolph, Thornton made two foul shots to extend LSU's advantage to four points at 63-59.

Georgia reduced the deficit to a single point at 65-64 when Humphrey sank a pair of free throws with 1:20 remaining. But Randolph gave the Tigers a two-possession lead by converting a three-point play with 59 seconds left.

Sundiata Gaines, who had four points for Georgia, was ejected with 13:20 remaining the game for a flagrant technical foul after he hit LSU's Alex Farrar in the face with an elbow.