Zakai Zeigler, Santiago Vescovi power No. 8 Tennessee past Tarleton State 65-46
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Zakai Zeigler scored 13 points and Santiago Vescovi added 12 as No. 8 Tennessee overcame poor shooting in the second half and beat Tarleton State 65-46 Thursday night.
“This was exactly the kind of game we thought we were going to have,” Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said. “(Tarleton State) is one of the slowest playing teams in the country. It's a low-possession game. You have to grind it out. Every possession counts.”
The Volunteers (9-3) shot 2 for 17 in the first nine minutes of the second half. However, Tennessee's lead never dipped below nine points in that time. The Volunteers shot 6 for 28 in the second half.
“(Starting the second half) we told them to strap their shoes up and tighten up,” said Joseph Jones, Tarleton State's acting head coach while Billy Gillispie is away with a medical situation. “(Playing physical) is what we teach every day. We want to be the toughest team on the floor every night.”
Josiah-Jordan James added 10 points and 10 rebounds for Tennessee.
The Texans (8-4) used an aggressive defense and cut their deficit to six points with about five minutes remaining. Devon Barnes led Tarleton State with 12 points, while Lue Williams and KiAndre Gaddy added 10 point apiece.
“We had a chance to stretch it out in the second half, but didn't,” Barnes said. “Sometimes you shoot (well), sometimes you don't. Everything we do is preparing us for the (Southeastern Conference). This will help us."
Vescovi made two free throws and drew a charge that set up a layup by Jordan Gainey, pushing The Volunteers' lead back to 10 points.
Tennessee trailed by two points in the first half before going on a 15-2 run and taking a 25-14 lead. Tarleton State never recovered. Vescovi and Dalton Knecht each scored five points in the run and the Vols led 39-25 at the break.
BARNES NOMINATED
Barnes, in his 37th season in college basketball and ninth at Tennessee, was announced as a first-time nominee for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
The finalist announcement will be made Feb. 16 at the NBA All-Star Game and the 2024 class will be announced April 6 at the NCAA Final Four in Phoenix.
“This is a team game,” Barnes said. “It's always about the players and the staff. You have to be willing to learn something every day.”
THE TAKEAWAY
Tarleton State: After a stunning upset over Jacksonville State earlier in the week, the Texans have lost two straight. They will try to right the ship before they return to Western Athletic Conference play against UT Arlington Jan. 4. Tarleton State won both of its early WAC games.
Tennessee: For most of November and December, the Vols have been looking for offense to go along with Dalton Knecht. Finally, they found it. Knecht scored a total of 11 points in the two games before Tarleton State, but others emerged. Jonas Aidoo, Josiah-Jordan James and Zakai Ziegler were all impressive. The next step is to find consistency.
UP NEXT
Tarleton State: At Loyola Marymount on Dec. 29.
Tennessee: Off for nearly two weeks before hosting Norfolk State on Jan. 2, ahead of Southeastern Conference play.
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | (Volunteers gains possession) | |||
19:41 | +2 | Jonas Aidoo makes two point jump shot (Santiago Vescovi assists) | 0-2 | |
19:22 | Devon Barnes misses three point jump shot | |||
19:20 | Kiandre Gaddy offensive rebound | |||
19:08 | Emmanuel Innocenti misses two point jump shot | |||
19:06 | Josiah-Jordan James defensive rebound | |||
18:52 | Josiah-Jordan James misses three point jump shot | |||
18:50 | Devon Barnes defensive rebound | |||
18:31 | Emmanuel Innocenti offensive foul | |||
18:31 | Emmanuel Innocenti turnover (offensive foul) | |||
18:11 | Josiah-Jordan James turnover (lost ball) (Kiandre Gaddy steals) | |||
18:10 | Jonas Aidoo personal foul | |||
17:55 | Lue Williams turnover (lost ball) (Zakai Zeigler steals) | |||
17:38 | Santiago Vescovi misses two point layup | |||
17:36 | Devon Barnes defensive rebound | |||
17:24 | +2 | Kiandre Gaddy makes two point layup (Emmanuel Innocenti assists) | 2-2 | |
17:16 | Kiandre Gaddy blocks Dalton Knecht's two point layup | |||
17:14 | Josiah-Jordan James offensive rebound | |||
17:11 | +2 | Zakai Zeigler makes two point jump shot | 2-4 | |
16:44 | Kiandre Gaddy misses two point jump shot | |||
16:42 | Santiago Vescovi defensive rebound | |||
16:26 | +2 | Jonas Aidoo makes two point jump shot (Josiah-Jordan James assists) | 2-6 | |
16:07 | Jakorie Smith misses three point jump shot | |||
16:05 | Zakai Zeigler defensive rebound | |||
15:58 | Santiago Vescovi misses three point jump shot | |||
15:56 | Jonas Aidoo offensive rebound | |||
15:56 | Devon Barnes personal foul | |||
15:56 | TV timeout | |||
15:45 | Zakai Zeigler turnover (bad pass) (Devon Barnes steals) | |||
15:29 | +2 | Lue Williams makes two point layup (Kiandre Gaddy assists) | 4-6 | |
15:06 | Jahmai Mashack turnover (bad pass) (Jakorie Smith steals) | |||
14:53 | Devon Barnes misses three point jump shot | |||
14:51 | Jahmai Mashack defensive rebound | |||
14:23 | +3 | Jahmai Mashack makes three point jump shot (Zakai Zeigler assists) | 4-9 | |
13:50 | Jakorie Smith misses two point jump shot | |||
13:48 | Jakorie Smith offensive rebound | |||
13:46 | Josiah-Jordan James shooting foul (Jakorie Smith draws the foul) | |||
13:46 | Jakorie Smith misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
13:46 | +1 | Jakorie Smith makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 5-9 | |
13:28 | Josiah-Jordan James misses two point jump shot | |||
13:26 | Lue Williams defensive rebound | |||
13:21 | +2 | Devon Barnes makes two point layup | 7-9 | |
13:21 | Jordan Gainey shooting foul (Devon Barnes draws the foul) | |||
13:21 | +1 | Devon Barnes makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 8-9 | |
13:06 | Josiah-Jordan James misses two point jump shot | |||
13:04 | Devon Barnes defensive rebound | |||
12:52 | +2 | Kiandre Gaddy makes two point layup (Lue Williams assists) | 10-9 | |
12:39 | Traivar Jackson shooting foul (Dalton Knecht draws the foul) | |||
12:39 | Dalton Knecht misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
12:39 | +1 | Dalton Knecht makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 10-10 | |
12:11 | Tobe Awaka blocks Devon Barnes's two point layup | |||
12:09 | Santiago Vescovi defensive rebound | |||
11:59 | Santiago Vescovi turnover (lost ball) (Dario Domingos steals) | |||
11:54 | Lue Williams misses three point jump shot | |||
11:52 | Dalton Knecht defensive rebound | |||
11:42 | Jonas Aidoo misses two point layup | |||
11:41 | Texans defensive rebound | |||
11:41 | TV timeout | |||
11:14 | +2 | Dario Domingos makes two point layup (Jakorie Smith assists) | 12-10 | |
10:56 | +3 | Dalton Knecht makes three point jump shot (Zakai Zeigler assists) | 12-13 | |
10:29 | Traivar Jackson misses two point jump shot | |||
10:29 | Jonas Aidoo defensive rebound | |||
10:05 | +2 | Jonas Aidoo makes two point layup (Santiago Vescovi assists) | 12-15 | |
10:05 | Jakorie Smith shooting foul (Jonas Aidoo draws the foul) | |||
10:05 | Jonas Aidoo misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | |||
10:05 | Lue Williams defensive rebound | |||
9:36 | Lue Williams turnover (traveling) | |||
9:28 | Izzy Miles personal foul | |||
9:24 | Tobe Awaka turnover (bad pass) (Devon Barnes steals) | |||
9:11 | Jonas Aidoo personal foul | |||
8:58 | Dario Domingos offensive foul | |||
8:58 | Dario Domingos turnover (offensive foul) | |||
8:49 | +2 | Dalton Knecht makes two point layup (Santiago Vescovi assists) | 12-17 | |
8:26 | Tobe Awaka blocks Kiandre Gaddy's two point layup | |||
8:21 | Texans offensive rebound | |||
8:19 | Jakorie Smith misses two point jump shot | |||
8:17 | Jakorie Smith offensive rebound | |||
8:07 | +2 | Lue Williams makes two point layup | 14-17 | |
8:00 | Bubu Benjamin shooting foul (Santiago Vescovi draws the foul) | |||
8:00 | TV timeout | |||
8:00 | +1 | Santiago Vescovi makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 14-18 | |
8:00 | +1 | Santiago Vescovi makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 14-19 | |
7:53 | Bubu Benjamin turnover (bad pass) | |||
7:38 | +3 | Zakai Zeigler makes three point jump shot | 14-22 | |
7:07 | Emmanuel Innocenti misses three point jump shot | |||
7:05 | Tobe Awaka defensive rebound | |||
6:54 | Zakai Zeigler misses three point jump shot | |||
6:51 | Tobe Awaka personal foul | |||
6:27 | Lue Williams misses three point jump shot | |||
6:25 | Kiandre Gaddy offensive rebound | |||
6:23 | Cade Phillips shooting foul (Kiandre Gaddy draws the foul) | |||
6:23 | Kiandre Gaddy misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
6:23 | Kiandre Gaddy misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
6:23 | Cade Phillips defensive rebound | |||
6:01 | +3 | Santiago Vescovi makes three point jump shot (Zakai Zeigler assists) | 14-25 | |
5:45 | Devon Barnes misses two point layup | |||
5:43 | Josiah-Jordan James defensive rebound | |||
5:29 | Kiandre Gaddy blocks Josiah-Jordan James's two point layup | |||
5:27 | Cade Phillips offensive rebound | |||
5:18 | Santiago Vescovi misses three point jump shot | |||
5:05 | Lue Williams misses two point layup | |||
5:03 | Kiandre Gaddy offensive rebound | |||
5:03 | +2 | Kiandre Gaddy makes two point layup (Lue Williams assists) | 16-25 | |
4:34 | J.P. Estrella misses two point layup | |||
4:32 | Jakorie Smith defensive rebound | |||
4:30 | Santiago Vescovi personal foul | |||
4:30 | +1 | Emmanuel Innocenti makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 17-25 | |
4:30 | +1 | Emmanuel Innocenti makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 18-25 | |
4:14 | +2 | Jordan Gainey makes two point layup | 18-27 | |
4:02 | +3 | Jakorie Smith makes three point jump shot (Lue Williams assists) | 21-27 | |
3:48 | +3 | Jordan Gainey makes three point jump shot (Santiago Vescovi assists) | 21-30 | |
3:15 | Jakorie Smith misses two point jump shot | |||
3:13 | Josiah-Jordan James defensive rebound | |||
3:04 | Jakorie Smith personal foul | |||
3:04 | TV timeout | |||
3:04 | +1 | Josiah-Jordan James makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 21-31 | |
3:04 | +1 | Josiah-Jordan James makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 21-32 | |
3:02 | Jordan Gainey personal foul | |||
3:02 | +1 | Devon Barnes makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 22-32 | |
3:02 | +1 | Devon Barnes makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 23-32 | |
2:49 | Jordan Gainey misses three point jump shot | |||
2:47 | Devon Barnes defensive rebound | |||
2:36 | +2 | Devon Barnes makes two point layup | 25-32 | |
2:16 | +2 | Santiago Vescovi makes two point jump shot | 25-34 | |
1:52 | Kiandre Gaddy misses two point layup | |||
1:50 | Josiah-Jordan James defensive rebound | |||
1:50 | Josiah-Jordan James turnover (bad pass) | |||
1:32 | Emmanuel Innocenti turnover (traveling) | |||
1:19 | +3 | Josiah-Jordan James makes three point jump shot (Jordan Gainey assists) | 25-37 | |
1:04 | Devon Barnes misses two point jump shot | |||
1:02 | Josiah-Jordan James defensive rebound | |||
0:50 | +2 | Zakai Zeigler makes two point jump shot | 25-39 | |
0:50 | Devon Barnes shooting foul (Zakai Zeigler draws the foul) | |||
0:50 | Zakai Zeigler misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | |||
0:50 | Kiandre Gaddy defensive rebound | |||
0:31 | Lue Williams turnover (double dribble) | |||
0:02 | Jordan Gainey misses two point jump shot | |||
0:01 | Dalton Knecht offensive rebound | |||
0:00 | End of period |