(AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Tied with less than six minutes to play, LSU seized moment with a pair of big buckets in a span of 11 seconds.
Tim Quarterman provided the Tigers a lead on a score in the lane, which Jalyn Patterson quickly followed with a steal near halfcourt and alley-oop pass to Ben Simmons.
LSU (19-13) stretched the run to 10 points and and eventually its lead to 12 before putting Tennessee (15-19) away, 84-75, despite the Volunteers' continued pressure in the final minutes.
The Tigers advance to face top seed Texas A&M (25-7) in the SEC semifinals at noon Saturday.