No. 6 Tennessee starts fast again in 88-68 win over LSU

Eight days ago, Tennessee couldn’t make a shot in its own gym to start the South Carolina game. The Gamecocks jumped out to a 7-0 lead while the Vols missed their first seven shots from the field. 

The last week was spent making the slow start a distant memory.

No. 6 Tennessee scored the first 10 points against LSU Wednesday night and led by 23 at halftime, winning 88-68 over the Tigers in front of another capacity crowd at Thompson-Boling Arena, the eighth sellout of the season. 

The Vols (17-6, 7-2 SEC) got 27 points, seven rebounds and six assists from Dalton Knecht, 18 points from Jordan Gainey off the bench and 17 more from Zakai Zeigler. Jonas Aidoo had 10 points and five rebounds and Josiah-Jordan James had eight points and four boards.

LSU (12-10, 4-5), which out-rebounded Tennessee 40-26 overall and 18-6 on the offensive glass, was led by 16 points from Will Baker.

In the 103-92 win at Kentucky Saturday night, Tennessee started the game on another 8-0 run and led 13-3 before John Calipari could call a timeout. 

Wednesday night, LSU Matt McMahon needed a timeout after an up-and-under transition layup from James, putting Tennessee up 10-0 after just two minutes, 20 seconds. It was a 15-1 lead a little over a minute later, after James hit a three out of the timeout and Jonas Aidoo dunked. 

It was a 50-27 lead at halftime, the biggest lead of the game, after Tennessee shot 58.1% from the field and went 9-for-14 from the 3-point line. Four Vols scored in double-figures before the break. Knecht had 14 with five assists and four rebounds, Zeigler had 11 after starting 3-for-3 from the 3-point line and Gainey had 10 points on a 4-for-4 start from the field. 

LSU showed life in the second half by making four straight 3-pointers, going on a 13-0 run and cutting Tennessee’s lead from 23 to 10 with 6:42 to go. The Vols answered with a Santiago Vescovi bucket on the other end. 

It was down to eight with 4:39 left, after LSU scored four more in a row, but Knecht fought back with a three-point play on the other end to get it back to an 11-point game with 4:12 to go. Tennessee finished the game on a 7-0 run and made its last four shots from the field.

Tennessee trending toward a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament? 

ESPN’s Joe Lunardi wrote Wednesday evening that Tennessee could move to the No. 1-seed line in his latest NCAA Tournament projection by blowing out LSU Wednesday night in Knoxville.

North Carolina, which was previously Lunardi’s fourth No. 1 seed, dropped to a No. 2 after a home loss to Clemson on Tuesday. Arizona moved up to replace the Tar Heels on the top line.

Tennessee has most recently been either the No. 5 or No. 6 overall seed in Lunardi’s projections, dropping to No. 6 after the loss to South Carolina last week then moving back up to No. 5 after the win at Kentucky. 

The Vols have never been a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, but have been a No. 5 seed or higher in all five NCAA Tournament appearances under Rick Barnes.

Up Next: No. 6 Tennessee at Texas A&M, Saturday, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN

Tennessee is back on the road for its next two games, playing at Texas A&M at Reed Arena in College Station on Saturday, an 8 p.m. Eastern Time start on ESPN, then going to Arkansas on Wednesday for a 9 p.m. ET start on ESPN2. 

The Vols close the February schedule with three of four games at home, hosting Vanderbilt (February 17), going to Missouri (February 20) and then home dates with Texas A&M (February 24) and Auburn (February 28).

The March schedule is loaded with road games at Alabama (March 2) and South Carolina (March 6) before closing the regular season at home against Kentucky on Senior Day in Knoxville (March 9).