Vols Take Down Wofford 82-61
(utsports.com) KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Playing its final home game of the month, the University of Tennessee men’s basketball team registered an 82-61 victory Tuesday night against Wofford.
No. 7/8 Tennessee (3-0), behind a team-high 18 points from fifth-year guard Dalton Knecht, led wire to wire at Food City Center.
The Volunteers connected on four straight field goals midway through the opening frame to take a 16-9 lead with 11:54 on the clock, but Wofford (2-1) clawed back within two multiple times. After the last time, Tennessee went on an 11-4 run that included 3-pointers by three different players to take a nine-point edge, 34-25, with 1:21 remaining in the frame.
The Terriers connected on back-to-back 3-pointers to slice the margin to three before a bank-shot by junior forward Jonas Aidoo made it 36-31 at the break. Tennessee shot 43.8 percent (7-of-16) from deep in the opening half, but allowed nine offensive rebounds at the other end.
Following a Wofford 3-pointer to open the second session, Tennessee used a 10-0 spurt in just 2:19 to go up by a dozen, 46-34, with 16:38 to go. After the Terriers answered with eight of the next nine points, the Volunteers went on a 12-2 burst in 3:24 to go up by a then-game-best 15, 59-44, with 10:11 remaining.
The Terriers never got the deficit down to single digits the rest of the way, while Tennessee extended its advantage as high as 22 on its way to its second victory by 20-plus points in just three outings thus far.
Knecht shot 6-of-11 from the floor and 5-of-6 at the line, as he paced the Volunteers in scoring for the third time in as many contests to begin the season. The reigning SEC Player of the Week added three rebounds, two steals and one block.
Junior guard Jordan Gainey (16) and fifth-year guard Santiago Vescovi (11) both had season-high point totals, shooting 4-of-10 and 3-of-6, respectively, from 3-point range. Fifth-year guard Josiah-Jordan James, meanwhile, tallied eight points to eclipse 1,000 in his career, plus tied Aidoo for the team lead with seven rebounds.
Junior guard Corey Tripp led all scorers with 19 points for the Terriers, finishing 9-of-14 from the floor and adding a game-best five assists. Sophomore guard Chase Cormier tallied 15 points on 5-of-7 3-point shooting off the bench, while junior guard Jackson Sivills added 10 points.
Tennessee finished the night with a 45.8 percent (27-of-59) clip from the floor, including a 40.7 percent (11-of-27) ledger beyond the arc. At the other end, it held Wofford to 37.7 percent (23-of-61) and 27.0 percent (10-of-37) shooting, respectively. The victors also recorded a 19-3 edge in poins off turnovers and a 9-2 margin in fast-break points.
The Volunteers resume play Monday in the opening round of the three-day Allstate Maui Invitational, facing Syracuse at 2:30 p.m. ET at SimpliFi Arena at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu, live on ESPN2.
To keep up with the University of Tennessee men’s basketball team on social media, follow @Vol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /tennesseebasketball on Facebook.
TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS POSTGAME NOTES• Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes now owns 782 victories in his career, passing Lute Olson for sole possession of No. 16 on the all-time wins list (min. five years at a Division I school).• The Volunteers now own a 23-game non-conference home winning streak, dating back to the 2020-21 season opener versus Colorado on Dec. 8, 2020.
• Tennessee last scored 80-plus points in three consecutive games in November 2021: 86 versus Presbyterian (11/30/21), 80 versus Tennessee Tech (11/26/21) and 89 versus North Carolina in Uncasville, Conn. (11/21/21).• The Volunteers have won their first three games of a season for the fifth time in Barnes’ nine seasons at the helm, joining 2020-21 (seven), 2019-20 (five), 2018-19 (four) and 2017-18 (three).
• Wofford started 1-of-10 from 3-point range, then made seven of its next 16 attempts, followed by hitting just two of its final nine.• Including its two exhibition games, Tennessee has led for 194:17 of a possible 200 minutes and has not trailed for a single second.• Vescovi logged two steals to reach 178 in his career, passing Fred Jenkins (2004-08) for fifth place in program history.• James, who became the 55th individual to score 1,000-plus points at Tennessee and now has 1,002 in his career, hit the quadruple-digit mark on a pair of free throws with 3:15 left in the contest.• In addition to being Tennessee’s leading scorer in all three games this season, Knecht has notched 17-plus points in each of them.• Sophomore forward Tobe Awaka logged a season-high nine points, as well as set career bests in free throws both made (five) and attempted (seven).
