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Fast Break -- Tennessee responds with 68-56 home win

On3 imageby:Brent Hubbs•about 10 hours•

Brent_Hubbs

Tennessee basketball fast break

Tennessee returned to their defensive form in the first 20 minutes Tuesday night as the Vols held Mississippi State to 16 first half points on their way to a 68-56 win over the Bulldogs. 

After struggling to stops in Nashville in a disappointing loss at Vanderbilt on Saturday, stops were the name of the game for Rick Barnes’ club Tuesday night. State made just 6 first half field goals, shot just 22% and turned it over 8 games. It was obviously a huge defensive bounce back for the Vols.

Offensively, the Vols got out of the gates early and were pretty efficient shooting 42% from the field and making 10 threes. Chaz Lanier led the way with 23 points on 8 of 17 shooting including 5 three’s. Zakai Zeigler had 9 points, 7 assists and 5 steals. 

Felix Okpara had 9 points and 12 rebounds. Jamai Mashack was 2 for 2 from behind the arc and had 10 points going 4 of 6 from the field. Jordan Gainey added 10 points and continues to go to the basket Gainey was 4 of 4 at the free throw line.

For more on the Vols much needed win, Rob Lewis and Grant Ramey have the Exterior Homes Solutions Fast Break. 

Up Next: No. 6 Tennessee at No. 1 Auburn, Saturday, 8:30 p.m. ET

Tennessee goes to No. 1 Auburn for Saturday night’s showdown at Neville Arena, scheduled for an 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time start on ESPN. ESPN’s College GameDay will broadcast live from Auburn Saturday morning.

Auburn (17-1, 5-0) has won 10 straight game since its only loss of the season, 84-78 at Duke on December 4. The Tigers do not have a midweek game this week.

Auburn has been without center Johni Broome the last two games, after he suffered an ankle injury in the win at South Carolina on January 11. Broome leads Auburn in points (17.9), rebounding (10.7) and assists (3.2). 

Without him the Tigers held on for a 66-63 win at South Carolina, beat Mississippi State by 22 at home and won 70-68 at Georgia on Saturday. 

There’s no letup in the SEC schedule after the tip to Auburn, Tennessee returning home for back-to-back games against No. 9 Kentucky (January 28) and No. 5 Florida (February 1). 

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