Bruce Pearl's Tennessee Volunteers (21-2, 8-1) survived a scare from the last place LSU Tigers (8-14, 1-7) Saturday afternoon at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge when a JaJuan Smith steal and score with 14 seconds remaining gave the Vols a 47-45 victory.

With 21 wins in their first 23 games, the seventh-ranked Vols are off to their best start in school history. LSU was playing under first time head coach Butch Pierre after former coach John Brady was abruptly fired Friday afternoon.

A game plagued by turnovers slowed the tempo in favor of LSU. The Vols total of 47 points was the lowest scoring output this season. The only time UT has scored less under Bruce Pearl came in a 56-44 loss to Butler last season.

The Vols were led in scoring by Chris Lofton's 15 points on six of 12 shooting from the floor, including three 3-pointers.

Tyler Smith joined Lofton as the only other Vol to reach double figures, scoring 12 points to go along with five rebounds.

JaJuan Smith, who played limited minutes due to flu symptoms, was held to a season low two points. However, the basket came at the game's most crucial moment.

JaJuan's game-winning bucket provided the only points for the Volunteers in the game's final three minutes.

Tennessee was forced to play from behind early for the second consecutive game. 

Missed free throws and turnovers by the Volunteers allowed the Tigers to open a seven point lead before Tennessee's first bucket by Duke Crews with 16:15 remaining in the half.

LSU led throughout the first half before Tennessee managed to tie the score at 16 with 7:40 left before halftime.

The Vols then used a five minute scoring drought by the Tigers to take a 27-24 lead into the break.

The second half saw much of the same sloppy play by both teams.

Tennessee managed to extend its lead to 10 points with 10 minutes remaining in the game.  However, the lead was slowly dwindled down to two as the Vols went over six minutes without scoring.

Following a timeout, Tennessee broke the drought as Chris Lofton connected on his third 3-pointer of the game to put the Vols back up by five with under four minutes to play.

The Tigers battled back to put the game in doubt with under a minute left, though.

LSU managed to tie the game and had a chance to take lead when Chris Johnson was fouled and went to the free throw line late in the game.

Johnson missed front end of the one-ane-one opportunity, but LSU regained possession after the ball went out of bounds off Wayne Chism.

The Tiger inbound was stolen by JaJuan Smith who went the length of the floor and scored with 14 seconds left for the win.

LSU failed to get a shot off on the ensuring possession as Marcus Thorton's dunk was called off because time expired before the ball had left his hands.

The Vols return to action Wednesday at Thompson-Boling Arena against Arkansas. Game time is 8 p.m.