GWEBB

TENN

Gillespie, Abrams lead No. 20 Tennessee past overmatched Gardner-Webb, 94-52

AP
Dec 21, 2025

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Ja'Kobi Gillespie had 15 points and nine assists, Amaree Abrams scored 15 points and No. 20 Tennessee Volunteers beat Gardner-Webb Bulldogs 94-52 on Sunday.

Jaylen Carey added 12 points for Tennessee (9-3). J.P. Estrella had 10 points, and DeWayne Brown II finished with 14 rebounds.

Curtis Williams led Gardner-Webb (2-13) with 14 points. DJ Jefferson had 13. He spent his first two years at Tennessee, then a season at Longwood, before landing with the Runnin' Bulldogs.

Estrella had 10 points to lead Tennessee to a 52-19 halftime lead. After a slow start, the Vols scored 17 straight points to get a double-digit lead they didn't lose the rest of the game.

Tennessee guard Ethan Burg missed the game with an illness.

After last week’s rout of No. 11 Louisville, the Vols cemented their 87th consecutive week in The Associated Press poll. Tennessee came into that game with three straight losses, with a loss putting the appearance streak in jeopardy.

Up next

Gardner-Webb: Host Charleston Southern on Dec. 31.

Tennessee: Hosts South Carolina State on Dec. 30.

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1st Half
GWEB
Bulldogs
19
TENN
Volunteers
52

Time		Play	Score
20:00		(Volunteers gains possession)
19:52		Curtis Williams III personal foul
19:38		Ja'Kobi Gillespie misses two point layup
19:36		Runnin' Bulldogs defensive rebound
19:22	+3	Curtis Williams III makes three point jump shot (Colin Hawkins assists)	3-0
19:09		Ja'Kobi Gillespie misses three point jump shot
19:07		DeWayne Brown II offensive rebound
18:52		Nate Ament misses three point jump shot
18:50		Colin Hawkins defensive rebound
18:23		Spence Sims misses two point jump shot
18:21		Jacob Hogarth offensive rebound
18:15		Spence Sims turnover (bad pass) (Bishop Boswell steals)
18:03		Nate Ament misses three point jump shot
18:01		Curtis Williams III defensive rebound
17:54		Ace Talbert misses three point jump shot
17:52		Jacob Hogarth offensive rebound
17:45		Jacob Hogarth misses three point jump shot
17:43		DeWayne Brown II defensive rebound
17:36		Jacob Hogarth blocks Felix Okpara's two point layup
17:34		Jacob Hogarth defensive rebound
17:34		Jump ball. (Runnin' Bulldogs gains possession)
17:11		Colin Hawkins misses two point jump shot
17:09		Spence Sims offensive rebound
16:56		Nate Ament shooting foul (Jacob Hogarth draws the foul)
16:56	+1	Jacob Hogarth makes regular free throw 1 of 2	4-0
16:56	+1	Jacob Hogarth makes regular free throw 2 of 2	5-0
16:45	+3	Ja'Kobi Gillespie makes three point jump shot (Nate Ament assists)	5-3
16:21		Jacob Hudson turnover (lost ball) (Nate Ament steals)
16:10		J.P. Estrella misses two point layup
16:08		Jamias Ferere defensive rebound
16:00		Jamias Ferere misses two point jump shot
15:58		Jaylen Carey defensive rebound
15:39		Ahmadou Ndiaye shooting foul (J.P. Estrella draws the foul)
15:39		TV timeout
15:39		J.P. Estrella misses regular free throw 1 of 2
15:39		J.P. Estrella misses regular free throw 2 of 2
15:39		Jacob Hudson defensive rebound
15:12		Jacob Hogarth misses two point jump shot
15:10		Jaylen Carey defensive rebound
14:49	+2	Jaylen Carey makes two point layup (J.P. Estrella assists)	5-5
14:26		Curtis Williams III turnover (lost ball) (Ja'Kobi Gillespie steals)
14:21		Curtis Williams III shooting foul (J.P. Estrella draws the foul)
14:21	+1	J.P. Estrella makes regular free throw 1 of 2	5-6
14:21	+1	J.P. Estrella makes regular free throw 2 of 2	5-7
14:05	+2	Jamias Ferere makes two point layup	7-7
13:57	+2	Amaree Abram makes two point reverse layup (Ja'Kobi Gillespie assists)	7-9
13:43		Ja'Kobi Gillespie shooting foul (Jacob Hudson draws the foul)
13:43		Jacob Hudson misses regular free throw 1 of 2
13:43		Jacob Hudson misses regular free throw 2 of 2
13:43		J.P. Estrella defensive rebound
13:35		Jaylen Carey misses two point layup
13:33		J.P. Estrella offensive rebound
13:30	+2	J.P. Estrella makes two point tip layup	7-11
13:26		Spence Sims turnover (lost ball)
13:07	+2	Jaylen Carey makes two point layup (Amari Evans assists)	7-13
13:07		Jacob Hogarth shooting foul (Jaylen Carey draws the foul)
13:07	+1	Jaylen Carey makes regular free throw 1 of 1	7-14
12:46		J.P. Estrella blocks Jamias Ferere's three point jump shot
12:46		Runnin' Bulldogs offensive rebound
12:38		DJ Jefferson misses three point jump shot
12:36		Amari Evans defensive rebound
12:25		Jaylen Carey misses two point layup
12:23		J.P. Estrella offensive rebound
12:08	+2	J.P. Estrella makes two point layup (Bishop Boswell assists)	7-16
11:58		Bo Barber turnover (lost ball) (Amari Evans steals)
11:54	+2	Amari Evans makes two point layup	7-18
11:54		Runnin' Bulldogs 30 second timeout
11:54		TV timeout
11:28		Curtis Williams III misses three point jump shot
11:26		Clarence Massamba defensive rebound
11:06		Amari Evans misses three point jump shot
11:04		DeWayne Brown II offensive rebound
10:53		Felix Okpara misses two point layup
10:51		Amari Evans offensive rebound
10:48	+2	Amari Evans makes two point layup	7-20
10:22		Ace Talbert misses three point jump shot
10:20		DeWayne Brown II defensive rebound
10:07	+2	Bishop Boswell makes two point layup	7-22
9:51		Curtis Williams III misses three point jump shot
9:49		Amari Evans defensive rebound
9:41	+2	Amari Evans makes two point layup	7-24
9:18	+3	DJ Jefferson makes three point jump shot (Colin Hawkins assists)	10-24
8:58		DeWayne Brown II turnover (bad pass) (Colin Hawkins steals)
8:50		Ace Talbert turnover (bad pass) (Amari Evans steals)
8:21		Felix Okpara turnover (bad pass)
8:04		Jacob Hogarth misses two point jump shot
8:02		Jaylen Carey defensive rebound
7:56	+2	Ja'Kobi Gillespie makes two point layup	10-26
7:36		Curtis Williams III misses two point jump shot
7:34		Curtis Williams III offensive rebound
7:30	+2	Curtis Williams III makes two point tip layup	12-26
7:24		Ja'Kobi Gillespie misses three point jump shot
7:22		Troy Henderson offensive rebound
7:13	+2	Jaylen Carey makes two point layup (Ja'Kobi Gillespie assists)	12-28
6:40		Curtis Williams III misses three point jump shot
6:38		Nate Ament defensive rebound
6:30		Troy Henderson misses three point jump shot
6:28		Jaylen Carey offensive rebound
6:27		Colin Hawkins personal foul (Jaylen Carey draws the foul)
6:27		TV timeout
6:21	+2	J.P. Estrella makes two point layup	12-30
6:12		Jacob Hudson turnover (lost ball) (Troy Henderson steals)
6:05	+2	J.P. Estrella makes two point alley-oop dunk (Ja'Kobi Gillespie assists)	12-32
5:48		Jacob Hogarth turnover (lost ball)
5:39	+3	Nate Ament makes three point jump shot (Ja'Kobi Gillespie assists)	12-35
5:15		Spence Sims misses three point jump shot
5:13		Ja'Kobi Gillespie defensive rebound
5:10		Ja'Kobi Gillespie turnover (bad pass)
4:37	+3	Curtis Williams III makes three point jump shot	15-35
4:26	+3	Troy Henderson makes three point jump shot (Ja'Kobi Gillespie assists)	15-38
4:06	+2	Spence Sims makes two point layup	17-38
3:53	+3	Ja'Kobi Gillespie makes three point jump shot	17-41
3:24		Jacob Hogarth misses three point jump shot
3:22		Troy Henderson defensive rebound
3:17		Nate Ament misses three point jump shot
3:15		Jacob Hudson defensive rebound
3:08		Bo Barber misses three point jump shot
3:06		J.P. Estrella defensive rebound
2:59	+3	Troy Henderson makes three point jump shot (Ja'Kobi Gillespie assists)	17-44
2:42		Spence Sims misses three point jump shot
2:40		J.P. Estrella defensive rebound
2:33	+2	Nate Ament makes two point layup (Troy Henderson assists)	17-46
2:17		Nate Ament blocks Jacob Hudson's two point layup
2:15		Nate Ament defensive rebound
2:04		Ja'Kobi Gillespie misses three point jump shot
2:02		J.P. Estrella offensive rebound
1:51		Nate Ament misses three point jump shot
1:49		Jacob Hogarth defensive rebound
1:40		Curtis Williams III misses three point jump shot
1:39		Nate Ament defensive rebound
1:38		Volunteers 30 second timeout
1:38		TV timeout
1:19	+2	Amaree Abram makes two point layup	17-48
1:06	+2	Colin Hawkins makes two point layup	19-48
0:49	+2	Felix Okpara makes two point layup (DeWayne Brown II assists)	19-50
0:18		Ahmadou Ndiaye misses two point jump shot
0:16		DeWayne Brown II defensive rebound
0:06		Amari Evans misses three point jump shot
0:04		DeWayne Brown II offensive rebound
0:00	+2	DeWayne Brown II makes two point tip layup	19-52
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
GWEB
Bulldogs
33
TENN
Volunteers
42

Time		Play	Score
19:50	+2	DeWayne Brown II makes two point layup (Ja'Kobi Gillespie assists)	19-54
19:37		Bishop Boswell shooting foul (Spence Sims draws the foul)
19:37	+1	Spence Sims makes regular free throw 1 of 2	20-54
19:37		Spence Sims misses regular free throw 2 of 2
19:37		DeWayne Brown II defensive rebound
19:22	+3	Ja'Kobi Gillespie makes three point jump shot (Nate Ament assists)	20-57
19:03		Ace Talbert misses three point jump shot
19:01		DeWayne Brown II defensive rebound
18:52		Felix Okpara misses two point hook shot
18:50		DeWayne Brown II offensive rebound
18:46		Nate Ament misses three point jump shot
18:44		Curtis Williams III defensive rebound
18:28		Colin Hawkins misses two point jump shot
18:27		Runnin' Bulldogs offensive rebound
18:06	+2	Jacob Hogarth makes two point jump shot (Colin Hawkins assists)	22-57
17:47	+2	Ja'Kobi Gillespie makes two point layup	22-59
17:18		Jacob Hogarth misses two point layup
17:16		Nate Ament defensive rebound
17:08		Jump ball. Nate Ament vs. Colin Hawkins (Runnin' Bulldogs gains possession)
17:08		Nate Ament turnover (lost ball) (Colin Hawkins steals)
16:52		Curtis Williams III misses three point jump shot
16:50		Ja'Kobi Gillespie defensive rebound
16:40		Jacob Hogarth personal foul
16:39		Curtis Williams III shooting foul (Bishop Boswell draws the foul)
16:39	+1	Bishop Boswell makes regular free throw 1 of 2	22-60
16:39	+1	Bishop Boswell makes regular free throw 2 of 2	22-61
16:22	+2	Jamias Ferere makes two point layup (Colin Hawkins assists)	24-61
16:22		Ja'Kobi Gillespie shooting foul (Jamias Ferere draws the foul)
16:22		Jamias Ferere misses regular free throw 1 of 1
16:22		Amaree Abram defensive rebound
16:06		Navuan Peterson shooting foul (Jaylen Carey draws the foul)
16:06		Jaylen Carey misses regular free throw 1 of 2
16:06	+1	Jaylen Carey makes regular free throw 2 of 2	24-62
15:40		Jamias Ferere misses three point jump shot
15:38		J.P. Estrella defensive rebound
15:24		Amari Evans misses three point jump shot
15:22		Jaylen Carey offensive rebound
15:18	+2	Jaylen Carey makes two point layup	24-64
15:04		Jacob Hudson misses two point layup
15:01		Volunteers defensive rebound
15:01		TV timeout
14:40	+2	Amaree Abram makes two point jump shot	24-66
14:23		Jacob Hogarth turnover (lost ball) (Amaree Abram steals)
14:06	+2	Amaree Abram makes two point layup	24-68
13:54	+2	Colin Hawkins makes two point layup	26-68
13:35	+2	Jaylen Carey makes two point layup (J.P. Estrella assists)	26-70
13:20		DJ Jefferson misses three point jump shot
13:18		Jaylen Carey defensive rebound
13:11		Jaylen Carey misses three point jump shot
13:09		Amaree Abram offensive rebound
13:07		Jacob Hogarth shooting foul (Amaree Abram draws the foul)
13:07	+1	Amaree Abram makes regular free throw 1 of 2	26-71
13:07	+1	Amaree Abram makes regular free throw 2 of 2	26-72
12:52	+2	Curtis Williams III makes two point jump shot	28-72
12:35		Troy Henderson turnover (lost ball)
12:25		Jacob Hudson turnover (lost ball) (Amaree Abram steals)
12:20	+2	Amaree Abram makes two point layup	28-74
12:05	+3	DJ Jefferson makes three point jump shot	31-74
11:50	+3	Troy Henderson makes three point jump shot	31-77
11:39	+2	Curtis Williams III makes two point layup	33-77
11:26		DeWayne Brown II misses two point jump shot
11:24		Felix Okpara offensive rebound
11:19		Felix Okpara misses two point layup
11:17		Colin Hawkins defensive rebound
11:09	+2	Jacob Hogarth makes two point jump shot	35-77
10:58	+3	Amaree Abram makes three point jump shot (Troy Henderson assists)	35-80
10:36	+3	DJ Jefferson makes three point jump shot (Jacob Hudson assists)	38-80
10:13		TV timeout
10:00	+2	Ja'Kobi Gillespie makes two point running jump shot	38-82
9:31		DJ Jefferson misses two point layup
9:29		DeWayne Brown II defensive rebound
9:23		Navuan Peterson personal foul
9:17	+2	DeWayne Brown II makes two point dunk (Ja'Kobi Gillespie assists)	38-84
9:08	+3	Navuan Peterson makes three point jump shot (Curtis Williams III assists)	41-84
8:50		Felix Okpara misses two point jump shot
8:48		Felix Okpara offensive rebound
8:42		Ja'Kobi Gillespie misses three point jump shot
8:40		Bo Barber defensive rebound
8:29	+3	Spence Sims makes three point jump shot (Bo Barber assists)	44-84
8:08	+3	Bishop Boswell makes three point jump shot (Nate Ament assists)	44-87
8:00	+2	DJ Jefferson makes two point layup (Bo Barber assists)	46-87
8:00		TV timeout
7:42		Jaylen Carey turnover (bad pass) (DJ Jefferson steals)
7:31		Curtis Williams III misses three point jump shot
7:29		Amaree Abram defensive rebound
7:10		J.P. Estrella misses two point jump shot
7:08		Navuan Peterson defensive rebound
7:00		Curtis Williams III turnover (bad pass) (Amari Evans steals)
6:53		Amaree Abram turnover (bad pass) (DJ Jefferson steals)
6:48	+2	DJ Jefferson makes two point layup	48-87
6:31		Amaree Abram misses three point jump shot
6:29		Curtis Williams III defensive rebound
6:05		Bo Barber turnover (lost ball) (Amaree Abram steals)
5:55		Troy Henderson misses three point jump shot
5:53		Navuan Peterson defensive rebound
5:53		Jaylen Carey personal foul
5:40		Spence Sims misses three point jump shot
5:38		Felix Okpara defensive rebound
5:28		Clarence Massamba misses three point jump shot
5:26		Navuan Peterson defensive rebound
5:12		Curtis Williams III misses three point jump shot
5:10		Felix Okpara defensive rebound
4:54	+2	Felix Okpara makes two point dunk (Clarence Massamba assists)	48-89
4:36		Felix Okpara shooting foul (Curtis Williams III draws the foul)
4:36	+1	Curtis Williams III makes regular free throw 1 of 2	49-89
4:36	+1	Curtis Williams III makes regular free throw 2 of 2	50-89
4:33		Ja'Kobi Gillespie turnover (bad pass) (Colin Hawkins steals)
4:17		Jacob Hudson misses three point jump shot
4:15		DeWayne Brown II defensive rebound
4:07		Riek Riek personal foul
3:58	+3	Nate Ament makes three point jump shot (Ja'Kobi Gillespie assists)	50-92
3:38		Clarence Massamba personal foul
3:38		TV timeout
3:19		Curtis Williams III misses three point jump shot
3:17		DeWayne Brown II defensive rebound
3:09		Ja'Kobi Gillespie misses three point jump shot
3:07		Riek Riek defensive rebound
2:28	+2	Colin Hawkins makes two point layup	52-92
2:23	+2	Felix Okpara makes two point dunk (DeWayne Brown II assists)	52-94
2:15		DJ Jefferson misses three point jump shot
2:13		Nate Ament defensive rebound
1:59		Ja'Kobi Gillespie turnover (bad pass) (Colin Hawkins steals)
1:53		Curtis Williams III misses two point dunk
1:51		Ja'Kobi Gillespie defensive rebound
1:36		Volunteers 30 second timeout
1:36		TV timeout
1:26		Gavin Paull misses two point layup
1:24		Paul Lindberg defensive rebound
1:00		Colin Hawkins turnover (bad pass)
0:51		Grant Hurst misses three point jump shot
0:49		DeWayne Brown II offensive rebound
0:43		Grant Hurst misses three point jump shot
0:41		DJ Jefferson defensive rebound
0:25		Isaiah Hicks misses two point jump shot
0:23		DeWayne Brown II defensive rebound
0:19		DJ Jefferson personal foul (Grant Hurst draws the foul)
0:19		Grant Hurst misses regular free throw 1 of 1
0:19		Isaiah Hicks defensive rebound
0:06		Paul Lindberg misses two point jump shot
0:04		Campbell Duncan defensive rebound
0:00		Gavin Paull misses three point jump shot
0:00		End of period

Gavin Paull misses three point jump shot