What Chaz Lanier said about breaking Tennessee's single-season 3-point record

LEXINGTON — Chaz Lanier’s answer summed up Chaz Lanier. What was it like to break Tennessee’s single-season 3-point record in the second round of the NCAA Tournament late Saturday night against UCLA?

“It’s just a blessing,” Lanier said, before turning the attention away from himself. “I want to shout out my teammates as well. They’re always setting good screens and passing the ball on the money for me. So without them I wouldn’t be making the shots.”

Lanier made four 3-point shots while scoring a game-high 20 points to lead No. 2 Tennessee to a 67-58 win over No. 7 UCLA, advancing the Vols to a third straight Sweet 16 for the first time in program history.

The four threes gave Lanier 120 on the season, breaking the previous record of 118 held by Chris Lofton.

“It’s a blessing to be in my position,” Lanier said. “I want to give all the glory to God because without Him I wouldn’t be here.”

Chaz Lanier scored 49 points, hit 10 3s in first two rounds of NCAA Tournament

Tennessee (28-7) wouldn’t be advancing to Indianapolis for Friday’s Midwest Region semifinal — the Vols will play either No. 3 Kentucky or No. 6 Illinois at Lucas Oil Stadium — without Lanier.

He scored 49 points and hit 10 3-pointers during the wins over Wofford and UCLA in the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament. 

Head coach Rick Barnes said Saturday night that the most impressive part of the weekend was that Lanier didn’t change his approach. 

“We tried not to do that,” Barnes said. “We understand that we’re in the tournament, we understand what this time of year is about. He hasn’t strayed away from his routine, what he needs to do.”

Lanier had 46 points and hit five 3-pointers in three games at the SEC Tournament last week. He had 23 in his postseason debut with Tennessee in a win over Texas in the quarterfinal round.

Lanier made a season-high eight 3-pointers — tied for second most in a single game in Tennessee program history — while scoring a season-high 30 points in Tennessee’s win at Texas A&M on February 22.

He made five or more threes in nine games this season, four or more in 14 games and three or more in 22 games. 

“(The) last three weeks he’s been very aggressive shooting the ball,” Barnes said, “but I think his focus is — he’s gotten so much better at paying attention to detail.

“But in terms of his personal psyche coming in, I thought it’s something he really embraced. Something he dreamed about being a part of.”

Before Lanier, Lofton and Santiago Vescovi were the only two Tennessee players to make 100 or more threes in a season. Vescovi made 102 in 2021-22 while Lofton made 118 in 36 games during the 2007-08 season. 

Lofton also held the second-most and third-most 3-pointers in a single season, with 114 in 30 games during the 2005-06 season and 106 during the 2006-07 season. 

Lofton was in the stands at Rupp Arena Saturday night to watch Lanier break the record. 

“I haven’t got to talk to C.Lo,” Lanier said, “but yet but hopefully I get to see him today.”

Rick Barnes on Chaz Lanier: ‘He’s grounded in a way that it’s not about him’

Lanier, a Nashville native and lifelong Tennessee fan, had a breakout senior year at North Florida last season, averaging 19.7 points per game and making 108 threes in 32 games, shooting a career-high 44.0% from the 3-point line.

He’s up to 41.0% on 293 attempts with Tennessee this season, after going 10-for-18 in the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament.

Lanier entered the NCAA Transfer Portal as one of the best players available last spring and found a perfect fit at Tennessee, with the program’s ‘It’s Not About Me’ motto. 

“When he came in,” Barnes said, “he’s a pretty cool, calm guy. I think he meant what he said about he gives all the glory to God. He’s grounded in a way that it’s not about him. 

“He knows he’s part of a good team and he’s willing to do whatever he needs to do to help this team, but he’s just not selfish and in his own way he sets a great example.”