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Tennessee's nearly perfect close nets road win at Texas A&M and shows promise

On3 imageby:Brent Hubbs•about 18 hours•

Brent_Hubbs

Tennessee PG Zakai Zeigler
(Matt Pendleton | Imagn Images)

Late season and tournament basketball often comes down to a possession game in the final four or five minutes. Those who can score and those who can get stops win. Saturday afternoon in College Station, Tennessee did what they couldn’t do at Kentucky 11 days ago or at Auburn. The Vols scored and got enough stops to pick up a huge 77-69 road win against Texas A&M. 

How good was Tennessee in the final five minutes? Almost perfect. 

Tennessee score on 8 of their final 9 possessions. The only miss was Zakai Zeigler missing the front end of a one and one. From the field, the Vols were a perfect 4 for 4 with 4 three’s. Zeigler’s wing three with the shot clock winding down out of a time out was the dagger turning a 3 point lead into a six point lead. Jordan Gainey had two three’s off Zeigler assist and Chaz Lanier’s 8th three of the game broke a 57-57 tie with 4:20 to play. 

Defensively, Tennessee forced a turnover and Zeigler blocked a Wade Taylor 3 point attempt to get a couple of needed stops to be the difference. 

It was a stark contrast to the loss at Kentucky where the Vols were outscored 17-6 in the final 5 minutes making on 2 of 7 fields goals while Kentucky was a perfect 4 for 4 from the floor. 

If you want to know the difference in winning in March and going home? In most cases you need to look no further than the final five minutes. Can you take care of the ball? Can you make free throws? Can you get and make open looks? 

Saturday with a four guard line up down the stretch, a probing and penetrating Zakai Zeigler created the ball movement the Vols needed against the Aggies. Texas A&M’s help defense gave Tennessee open looks. Looks they finally made. Looks that didn’t fall at Auburn when they closed going 2 of 8. Looks that didn’t fall in a 2 for 7 close at Rupp Arena. Those looks Saturday found nothing but the net in a top 10 show down on the road. 

Over the next month, Tennessee will be in a similar situation, probably more than once. And the rule has been true for as long as they have played tournament hoops. Those who can close advance. 

Saturday, the Vols offered plenty of hope in advancing by a nearly perfect close. 

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