TEXAS

TENN

Ja'Kobi Gillespie scores 34 in No. 21 Tennessee's 85-71 win over Texas

AP
Jan 06, 2026

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Ja'Kobi Gillespie scored 34 points to lead No. 21 Tennessee Volunteers to a 85-71 victory over Texas Longhorns on Tuesday night.

J.P. Estrella scored 11 and DeWayne Brown II and Jaylen Carey each added 10 for the Volunteers (11-4, 1-1 in Southeastern Conference).

The Longhorns (9-6, 0-2) were led by Tramon Mark with 20, Camden Heide scored 16 and Simeon Wilcher added 10.

Tennessee dominated the paint, outscoring Texas 44-18 down low.

The Vols struggled at the free-throw line (12 of 23) in their loss to Arkansas on Saturday but against the Longhorns they hit 21 of 29.

The Longhorns had no answer for Gillespie in the first half. He hit 8 of 10 shots from the field, including 3 of 4 3-pointers, and had 22 points as Tennessee led, 48-33 at halftime.

This game was the 1,274th game of Rick Barnes’ career as a head coach, moving him past Bob Knight for sole possession of 10th place on the career list.

Barnes spent 17 of his 39 seasons, from 1998 to 2015, as the head coach at Texas.

Three of Barnes’ Tennessee assistants - Gregg Polinsky, Bryan Lentz and Steve McClain - were on his staff in Austin.

When Tennessee lost its SEC opener to Arkansas, the Vols dropped to No. 21 in The Associated Press poll. It extended their streak of being listed in the poll to 89, which is second to Houston’s (115). However, it ended their streak of being in the Top 20 at 66.

Texas came into the game averaging 88.6 points, the Longhorns’ best since they averaged 92.9 in 1994-95.

UP NEXT

Texas: The Longhorns will stay on the road Saturday when they visit Alabama.

Tennessee: The Vols will play at Florida on Saturday.

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1st Half
TEX
Longhorns
33
TENN
Volunteers
48

Time		Play	Score
20:00		Matas Vokietaitis vs. Felix Okpara (Tramon Mark gains possession)
19:39		Jordan Pope misses three point jump shot
19:37		DeWayne Brown II defensive rebound
19:17		Nate Ament turnover (lost ball) (Dailyn Swain steals)
19:11		Dailyn Swain misses two point layup
19:09		DeWayne Brown II defensive rebound
19:03	+2	DeWayne Brown II makes two point dunk (Bishop Boswell assists)	0-2
18:43	+2	Matas Vokietaitis makes two point layup (Dailyn Swain assists)	2-2
18:26		Nate Ament turnover (bad pass)
18:13		Felix Okpara personal foul
18:07		Dailyn Swain turnover (lost ball) (Bishop Boswell steals)
18:00	+2	Nate Ament makes two point layup (Bishop Boswell assists)	2-4
17:43		Nate Ament blocks Matas Vokietaitis's two point layup
17:41		Nate Ament defensive rebound
17:37		Tramon Mark shooting foul (Nate Ament draws the foul)
17:37	+1	Nate Ament makes regular free throw 1 of 2	2-5
17:37	+1	Nate Ament makes regular free throw 2 of 2	2-6
17:22		Tramon Mark turnover (lost ball) (Ja'Kobi Gillespie steals)
17:15	+2	Ja'Kobi Gillespie makes two point layup	2-8
16:50	+3	Camden Heide makes three point jump shot (Jordan Pope assists)	5-8
16:40		Ja'Kobi Gillespie misses three point jump shot
16:38		Bishop Boswell offensive rebound
16:31		DeWayne Brown II turnover (lost ball) (Tramon Mark steals)
16:23		Dailyn Swain turnover (bad pass) (Amari Evans steals)
16:10		Simeon Wilcher personal foul
15:53		J.P. Estrella misses two point layup
15:51		Tramon Mark defensive rebound
15:46		Lassina Traore misses two point layup
15:44		Ja'Kobi Gillespie defensive rebound
15:39	+2	Ja'Kobi Gillespie makes two point layup	5-10
15:39		Lassina Traore shooting foul (Ja'Kobi Gillespie draws the foul)
15:38		TV timeout
15:39	+1	Ja'Kobi Gillespie makes regular free throw 1 of 1	5-11
15:29		Bishop Boswell personal foul (Tramon Mark draws the foul)
15:12		Lassina Traore misses two point layup
15:10		Tramon Mark offensive rebound
15:08	+2	Tramon Mark makes two point layup	7-11
15:08		J.P. Estrella shooting foul (Tramon Mark draws the foul)
15:08		Tramon Mark misses regular free throw 1 of 1
15:08		J.P. Estrella defensive rebound
14:46		J.P. Estrella turnover (lost ball) (Camden Heide steals)
14:38	+2	Tramon Mark makes two point layup (Dailyn Swain assists)	9-11
14:16		Jaylen Carey misses two point layup
14:14		Dailyn Swain defensive rebound
14:07	+3	Simeon Wilcher makes three point jump shot (Dailyn Swain assists)	12-11
13:53		J.P. Estrella misses three point jump shot
13:51		Longhorns defensive rebound
13:38		Simeon Wilcher turnover (lost ball) (Nate Ament steals)
13:21		Nate Ament turnover (lost ball) (Dailyn Swain steals)
13:04		Camden Heide misses three point jump shot
13:02		Jaylen Carey defensive rebound
12:43		Lassina Traore shooting foul (Jaylen Carey draws the foul)
12:43	+1	Jaylen Carey makes regular free throw 1 of 2	12-12
12:43	+1	Jaylen Carey makes regular free throw 2 of 2	12-13
12:26		Felix Okpara personal foul
12:26		Simeon Wilcher misses three point jump shot
12:24		Matas Vokietaitis offensive rebound
12:16		Tramon Mark misses three point jump shot
12:14		Declan Duru Jr. offensive rebound
11:53		Matas Vokietaitis misses two point jump shot
11:51		Chendall Weaver offensive rebound
11:44	+2	Chendall Weaver makes two point layup	14-13
11:34		Declan Duru Jr. shooting foul (Jaylen Carey draws the foul)
11:34		TV timeout
11:34		Jaylen Carey misses regular free throw 1 of 2
11:34	+1	Jaylen Carey makes regular free throw 2 of 2	14-14
11:13		Matas Vokietaitis offensive foul
11:13		Matas Vokietaitis turnover (offensive foul)
10:59	+2	J.P. Estrella makes two point layup	14-16
10:35		Jordan Pope misses two point jump shot
10:33		Ja'Kobi Gillespie defensive rebound
10:27	+2	Ja'Kobi Gillespie makes two point layup	14-18
10:27		TV timeout
10:00	+3	Dailyn Swain makes three point jump shot (Camden Heide assists)	17-18
9:42	+3	Ja'Kobi Gillespie makes three point jump shot	17-21
9:25		Matas Vokietaitis misses two point jump shot
9:23		Nate Ament defensive rebound
9:16	+2	Ja'Kobi Gillespie makes two point layup	17-23
9:05		Nate Ament personal foul (Chendall Weaver draws the foul)
8:57		Dailyn Swain turnover (out of bounds)
8:41	+2	DeWayne Brown II makes two point dunk (Ja'Kobi Gillespie assists)	17-25
8:19		Simeon Wilcher misses three point jump shot
8:17		J.P. Estrella defensive rebound
8:17		Matas Vokietaitis personal foul (J.P. Estrella draws the foul)
8:17	+1	J.P. Estrella makes regular free throw 1 of 2	17-26
8:17	+1	J.P. Estrella makes regular free throw 1 of 2	17-26
8:17		J.P. Estrella misses regular free throw 2 of 2
8:17		Simeon Wilcher defensive rebound
7:48		Simeon Wilcher misses three point jump shot
7:46		Bishop Boswell defensive rebound
7:28		Troy Henderson misses three point jump shot
7:25		J.P. Estrella offensive rebound
7:25		Nic Codie personal foul
7:25		TV timeout
7:25	+1	J.P. Estrella makes regular free throw 1 of 2	17-27
7:25	+1	J.P. Estrella makes regular free throw 2 of 2	17-28
7:07		DeWayne Brown II personal foul
6:58	+3	Nic Codie makes three point jump shot (Jordan Pope assists)	20-28
6:37		Amari Evans misses three point jump shot
6:35		Lassina Traore defensive rebound
6:29		Amari Evans blocks Simeon Wilcher's two point layup
6:27		Jaylen Carey defensive rebound
6:24		Dailyn Swain shooting foul (Troy Henderson draws the foul)
6:21		Troy Henderson misses regular free throw 1 of 1
6:21		DeWayne Brown II offensive rebound
6:18		DeWayne Brown II misses two point layup
6:18		Jaylen Carey offensive rebound
6:05	+2	DeWayne Brown II makes two point layup (Nate Ament assists)	20-30
5:43		Jordan Pope turnover (out of bounds)
5:28		Ja'Kobi Gillespie misses two point jump shot
5:28		Dailyn Swain defensive rebound
5:28		Nate Ament personal foul
5:28		Dailyn Swain misses regular free throw 1 of 1
5:28		Bishop Boswell defensive rebound
5:16		J.P. Estrella turnover (3-second violation)
5:00		Bishop Boswell personal foul
5:00		Matas Vokietaitis misses regular free throw 1 of 1
5:00		Camden Heide offensive rebound
4:47	+2	Matas Vokietaitis makes two point layup (Dailyn Swain assists)	22-30
4:32	+2	Jaylen Carey makes two point layup	22-32
4:32		Matas Vokietaitis shooting foul (Jaylen Carey draws the foul)
4:32		Jaylen Carey misses regular free throw 1 of 1
4:32		Lassina Traore defensive rebound
4:09		Dailyn Swain misses three point jump shot
4:07		Longhorns offensive rebound
4:07		J.P. Estrella personal foul
4:07	+1	Lassina Traore makes regular free throw 1 of 2	23-32
4:07	+1	Lassina Traore makes regular free throw 2 of 2	24-32
3:55		Ja'Kobi Gillespie turnover
3:53		Dailyn Swain turnover (Amari Evans steals)
3:53		TV timeout
3:34	+2	Ja'Kobi Gillespie makes two point layup	24-34
3:24	+2	Camden Heide makes two point layup	26-34
3:08	+2	Jaylen Carey makes two point layup (Amari Evans assists)	26-36
2:55		Amari Evans personal foul (Tramon Mark draws the foul)
2:55	+1	Tramon Mark makes regular free throw 1 of 2	27-36
2:55	+1	Tramon Mark makes regular free throw 2 of 2	28-36
2:35		Jaylen Carey misses two point jump shot
2:33		Amari Evans offensive rebound
2:17	+2	DeWayne Brown II makes two point layup (Ja'Kobi Gillespie assists)	28-38
2:01		Dailyn Swain turnover (bad pass)
1:55	+3	Ja'Kobi Gillespie makes three point jump shot	28-41
1:37		Tramon Mark misses three point jump shot
1:35		Volunteers defensive rebound
1:29	+3	Ja'Kobi Gillespie makes three point jump shot	28-44
1:00		Camden Heide misses three point jump shot
0:58		Dailyn Swain offensive rebound
0:43		Ja'Kobi Gillespie personal foul (Dailyn Swain draws the foul)
0:43	+1	Dailyn Swain makes regular free throw 1 of 2	29-44
0:43	+1	Dailyn Swain makes regular free throw 2 of 2	30-44
0:38		Tramon Mark personal foul (Ja'Kobi Gillespie draws the foul)
0:38	+1	Ja'Kobi Gillespie makes regular free throw 1 of 2	30-45
0:38	+1	Ja'Kobi Gillespie makes regular free throw 2 of 2	30-46
0:11	+2	Tramon Mark makes two point jump shot	32-46
0:11		DeWayne Brown II shooting foul (Tramon Mark draws the foul)
0:11	+1	Tramon Mark makes regular free throw 1 of 1	33-46
0:11		Volunteers 30 second timeout
0:03		Amaree Abram misses two point jump shot
0:02		Amari Evans offensive rebound
0:01	+2	Amari Evans makes two point layup	33-48
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
TEX
Longhorns
38
TENN
Volunteers
37

Time		Play	Score
19:52		Dailyn Swain shooting foul (Nate Ament draws the foul)
19:52		Nate Ament misses regular free throw 1 of 2
19:52	+1	Nate Ament makes regular free throw 2 of 2	33-49
19:34		Dailyn Swain turnover (bad pass) (Ja'Kobi Gillespie steals)
19:28	+3	Bishop Boswell makes three point jump shot (Ja'Kobi Gillespie assists)	33-52
18:55		Matas Vokietaitis turnover (lost ball) (Nate Ament steals)
18:35		Felix Okpara misses two point dunk
18:33		Felix Okpara offensive rebound
18:31	+2	Felix Okpara makes two point putback layup	33-54
18:23		Longhorns 30 second timeout
18:00		Camden Heide misses three point jump shot
17:58		Tramon Mark offensive rebound
17:55		Tramon Mark misses two point putback layup
17:53		Volunteers defensive rebound
17:44	+2	DeWayne Brown II makes two point driving layup (Ja'Kobi Gillespie assists)	33-56
17:44		Camden Heide shooting foul (DeWayne Brown II draws the foul)
17:44		DeWayne Brown II misses regular free throw 1 of 1
17:44		Jordan Pope defensive rebound
17:32		Tramon Mark misses three point jump shot
17:30		Nate Ament defensive rebound
17:19		Nate Ament misses three point jump shot
17:17		DeWayne Brown II offensive rebound
17:15		DeWayne Brown II misses two point putback layup
17:13		Tramon Mark defensive rebound
17:11		Jordan Pope misses three point jump shot
17:09		Bishop Boswell defensive rebound
16:58		Felix Okpara misses two point alley-oop dunk
16:56		Camden Heide defensive rebound
16:38	+3	Camden Heide makes three point jump shot (Simeon Wilcher assists)	36-56
16:24		Matas Vokietaitis personal foul
16:18		Nate Ament turnover (lost ball) (Dailyn Swain steals)
16:02		Bishop Boswell personal foul
15:43		Lassina Traore misses two point fadeaway jump shot
15:41		Amari Evans defensive rebound
15:24		Tramon Mark blocks Ja'Kobi Gillespie's two point driving floating jump shot
15:22		Camden Heide defensive rebound
15:16	+2	Simeon Wilcher makes two point pullup jump shot	38-56
14:57		Amari Evans misses two point jump shot
14:55		Nate Ament offensive rebound
14:50		Camden Heide personal foul
14:50		TV timeout
14:33	+2	J.P. Estrella makes two point alley-oop dunk (Nate Ament assists)	38-58
14:19	+3	Camden Heide makes three point jump shot (Lassina Traore assists)	41-58
13:54		J.P. Estrella misses two point layup
13:52		Lassina Traore defensive rebound
13:46		Dailyn Swain turnover (bad pass) (Nate Ament steals)
13:39		Nate Ament turnover (lost ball) (Chendall Weaver steals)
13:35		Chendall Weaver turnover (lost ball) (Amari Evans steals)
13:34		Lassina Traore shooting foul (Amari Evans draws the foul)
13:34	+1	Amari Evans makes regular free throw 1 of 2	41-59
13:34	+1	Amari Evans makes regular free throw 2 of 2	41-60
13:13		Nate Ament personal foul
13:00		J.P. Estrella personal foul
12:50	+2	Tramon Mark makes two point pullup jump shot	43-60
12:33		Bishop Boswell turnover (bad pass) (Simeon Wilcher steals)
12:29	+2	Chendall Weaver makes two point layup (Simeon Wilcher assists)	45-60
12:16		Ja'Kobi Gillespie misses three point jump shot
12:14		Felix Okpara offensive rebound
12:05		Simeon Wilcher shooting foul (Bishop Boswell draws the foul)
12:05		Bishop Boswell misses regular free throw 1 of 2
12:05	+1	Bishop Boswell makes regular free throw 2 of 2	45-61
11:44		Bishop Boswell personal foul
11:44		TV timeout
11:28		Camden Heide misses three point stepback jump shot
11:26		Simeon Wilcher offensive rebound
11:10	+3	Camden Heide makes three point fadeaway jump shot (Chendall Weaver assists)	48-61
10:56		Troy Henderson misses three point stepback jump shot
10:51		Longhorns defensive rebound
10:34	+3	Tramon Mark makes three point jump shot (Chendall Weaver assists)	51-61
10:05	+2	Felix Okpara makes two point alley-oop dunk (Ja'Kobi Gillespie assists)	51-63
9:50		Felix Okpara personal foul
9:44		DeWayne Brown II blocks Simeon Wilcher's two point driving layup
9:42		Ja'Kobi Gillespie defensive rebound
9:37		Camden Heide shooting foul (Ja'Kobi Gillespie draws the foul)
9:37	+1	Ja'Kobi Gillespie makes regular free throw 1 of 2	51-64
9:37	+1	Ja'Kobi Gillespie makes regular free throw 2 of 2	51-65
9:31		Longhorns 30 second timeout
9:31		Longhorns 60 second timeout
9:25		Tramon Mark turnover (lost ball) (Nate Ament steals)
9:13	+2	Nate Ament makes two point jump shot	51-67
9:13		Simeon Wilcher shooting foul (Nate Ament draws the foul)
9:13	+1	Nate Ament makes regular free throw 1 of 1	51-68
9:02		Nate Ament personal foul
8:51		Amaree Abram shooting foul (Chendall Weaver draws the foul)
8:51		Chendall Weaver misses regular free throw 1 of 2
8:51	+1	Chendall Weaver makes regular free throw 2 of 2	52-68
8:41		Ja'Kobi Gillespie turnover (lost ball) (Chendall Weaver steals)
8:38	+2	Chendall Weaver makes two point driving dunk	54-68
8:38		Amari Evans flagrant 1 (Chendall Weaver draws the foul)
8:38		Amari Evans turnover
8:38	+1	Chendall Weaver makes flagrant free throw 1 of 2	55-68
8:38	+1	Chendall Weaver makes flagrant free throw 2 of 2	56-68
8:37		Camden Heide turnover (bad pass) (Ja'Kobi Gillespie steals)
8:32	+2	Ja'Kobi Gillespie makes two point driving layup	56-70
8:01		Simeon Wilcher misses three point jump shot
7:59		Camden Heide offensive rebound
7:59		Felix Okpara personal foul (Camden Heide draws the foul)
7:59		TV timeout
7:59	+1	Camden Heide makes regular free throw 1 of 2	57-70
7:59	+1	Camden Heide makes regular free throw 2 of 2	58-70
7:45	+3	Ja'Kobi Gillespie makes three point jump shot (Jaylen Carey assists)	58-73
7:32		Tramon Mark misses two point pullup jump shot
7:27		Nic Codie offensive rebound
7:27		Nic Codie misses two point tip layup
7:27		Longhorns offensive rebound
7:11		Tramon Mark misses two point driving floating jump shot
7:10		Longhorns offensive rebound
6:51	+3	Tramon Mark makes three point jump shot (Lassina Traore assists)	61-73
6:32	+2	Ja'Kobi Gillespie makes two point turnaround fadeaway jump shot	61-75
6:10		Amaree Abram personal foul (Lassina Traore draws the foul)
6:10	+1	Lassina Traore makes regular free throw 1 of 2	62-75
6:10	+1	Lassina Traore makes regular free throw 2 of 2	63-75
5:59		Jaylen Carey misses two point layup
5:57		Jaylen Carey offensive rebound
5:57		Jaylen Carey misses two point putback layup
5:56		J.P. Estrella offensive rebound
5:56		Chendall Weaver personal foul (J.P. Estrella draws the foul)
5:56	+1	J.P. Estrella makes regular free throw 1 of 2	63-76
5:56	+1	J.P. Estrella makes regular free throw 2 of 2	63-77
5:38		Simeon Wilcher misses three point stepback jump shot
5:36		J.P. Estrella defensive rebound
5:30		Amari Evans turnover (bad pass)
5:13	+3	Simeon Wilcher makes three point jump shot (Tramon Mark assists)	66-77
4:53	+2	Jaylen Carey makes two point cutting dunk (Amari Evans assists)	66-79
4:36		Simeon Wilcher turnover (lost ball) (Amaree Abram steals)
4:31	+2	J.P. Estrella makes two point dunk (Amaree Abram assists)	66-81
4:20		Amaree Abram personal foul (Simeon Wilcher draws the foul)
4:20	+1	Simeon Wilcher makes regular free throw 1 of 2	67-81
4:20	+1	Simeon Wilcher makes regular free throw 2 of 2	68-81
4:07		Chendall Weaver personal foul (Jaylen Carey draws the foul)
4:07	+1	Jaylen Carey makes regular free throw 1 of 2	68-82
4:07		Jaylen Carey misses regular free throw 2 of 2
4:07		Tramon Mark defensive rebound
3:40		Chendall Weaver misses two point driving finger roll layup
3:38		J.P. Estrella defensive rebound
3:14	+3	Ja'Kobi Gillespie makes three point jump shot (Bishop Boswell assists)	68-85
2:54		Chendall Weaver misses three point jump shot
2:52		Chendall Weaver offensive rebound
2:44		Camden Heide misses three point jump shot
2:42		Longhorns offensive rebound
2:42		TV timeout
2:22		Simeon Wilcher misses three point jump shot
2:20		Ja'Kobi Gillespie defensive rebound
1:51		Bishop Boswell misses two point running pullup jump shot
1:49		Felix Okpara offensive rebound
1:49		Nic Codie blocks Felix Okpara's two point putback layup
1:47		Longhorns defensive rebound
1:36		Nate Ament blocks Simeon Wilcher's two point layup
1:34		Nate Ament defensive rebound
1:08		Ja'Kobi Gillespie misses three point stepback jump shot
1:06		Felix Okpara offensive rebound
0:44		Nate Ament misses three point jump shot
0:42		Bishop Boswell offensive rebound
0:26		Ja'Kobi Gillespie misses two point turnaround fadeaway jump shot
0:24		Chendall Weaver defensive rebound
0:16		Chendall Weaver misses two point driving layup
0:14		Longhorns offensive rebound
0:09	+3	Tramon Mark makes three point stepback jump shot	71-85
0:00		End of period

+ 3

Tramon Mark makes three point stepback jump shot