Dalton Knecht scores 27 to lead No. 6 Tennessee over LSU 88-68
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Dalton Knecht had 27 points, seven rebounds and six assists to lead No. 6 Tennessee to an 88-68 victory over LSU on Wednesday night.
Zakai Zeigler had 17 points, nine assists and five steals and Jordan Gainey came off the bench to score 18 for the Volunteers (17-5, 7-2 Southeastern Conference).
“It’s important to note there are some really good players around Knecht,” LSU coach Matt McMahon said. “He has turned himself into a Top 10 NBA pick. It’s a tough cover. We just make his shots as difficult as we can.”
Will Baker had 16 points and Derek Fountain scored 11 for the Tigers (12-10, 4-5).
“Zeigler does a great job organizing that team,” McMahon said. “When he’s is shooting well, he’s hard to cover.”
The most interesting statistic came with LSU dominating the rebounding 40-27. Trae Hannibal, a 6-foot-2 guard, led the way with 11.
“I thought we tried to rebound the ball with one hand,” Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said. “You've gotta grab it and secure the ball with two hands. You can't be a great team if you can't rebound the ball.”
Tennessee led by as many as 26 points early in the second half. LSU went on a 13-0 run midway through the second and got as close as eight before a three-point play by Knecht bumped the lead back to double digits.
“(Tennessee's) pressure really bothered us,” said McMahon. “We didn't have anything left in the tank. We couldn't get it any closer than eight.”
Tennessee hit its first five shots of the game and led 15-1. Knecht, who had three blocks, led the Vols with 14 points and they held a 50-27 edge at intermission. Zeigler had 11 points and Gainey 10.
“That’s in (Zeigler’s) DNA,” Barnes said of Zeigler’s well-rounded game. “That’s how we need him to play.”
Tennessee shot better at the 3-point line (9 of 14, 64%) than it did from the field (18 of 31, 58%). LSU managed to shoot just 37% (10 of 27) in the first half.
“We would love to bottle that first half,” Barnes said. “We were terrific. Our shot selection was not as good in the second half.”
THE TAKEAWAY
LSU: Freshman guard Mike Williams III is starting to make significant progress as the season wears on. Heading into the trip to Tennessee, Williams had scored in double figures in four of the last six games.
Tennessee: The Vols followed their worst clunker of the season - scoring just 59 points in a loss at home against South Carolina - with impressive efforts against Kentucky and LSU. Josiah-Jordan James broke out of his slump against the Wildcats. He had gone eight games without reaching double figures, then scored 26 in his last game in Rupp Arena.
NEXT UP
LSU: The Tigers will meet their second straight Top 25 team when they host No. 16 Alabama on Saturday.
Tennessee: The Vols will be on the road against Texas A&M on Saturday night.
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | Will Baker vs. Jonas Aidoo (Zakai Zeigler gains possession) | |||
19:31 | Jordan Wright shooting foul (Dalton Knecht draws the foul) | |||
19:31 | +1 | Dalton Knecht makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 0-1 | |
19:31 | +1 | Dalton Knecht makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 0-2 | |
19:17 | Jordan Wright misses two point jump shot | |||
19:15 | Jonas Aidoo defensive rebound | |||
18:51 | +3 | Zakai Zeigler makes three point jump shot (Dalton Knecht assists) | 0-5 | |
18:33 | Jordan Wright misses three point jump shot | |||
18:31 | Will Baker offensive rebound | |||
18:24 | Jordan Wright misses two point layup | |||
18:22 | Josiah-Jordan James defensive rebound | |||
18:10 | +3 | Dalton Knecht makes three point jump shot (Josiah-Jordan James assists) | 0-8 | |
17:45 | Will Baker misses three point jump shot | |||
17:43 | Zakai Zeigler defensive rebound | |||
17:41 | +2 | Josiah-Jordan James makes two point layup (Dalton Knecht assists) | 0-10 | |
17:40 | Tigers 30 second timeout | |||
17:26 | Jonas Aidoo blocks Trae Hannibal's two point layup | |||
17:24 | Dalton Knecht defensive rebound | |||
17:16 | +3 | Josiah-Jordan James makes three point jump shot (Zakai Zeigler assists) | 0-13 | |
16:53 | Jalen Reed misses two point layup | |||
16:50 | Trae Hannibal offensive rebound | |||
16:50 | Josiah-Jordan James shooting foul (Trae Hannibal draws the foul) | |||
16:50 | Trae Hannibal misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
16:50 | +1 | Trae Hannibal makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 1-13 | |
16:31 | +2 | Jonas Aidoo makes two point dunk (Zakai Zeigler assists) | 1-15 | |
16:07 | Mike Williams III misses three point jump shot | |||
16:05 | Will Baker offensive rebound | |||
15:47 | +2 | Mike Williams III makes two point jump shot | 3-15 | |
15:30 | Dalton Knecht misses two point jump shot | |||
15:28 | Jalen Reed defensive rebound | |||
15:23 | Josiah-Jordan James personal foul | |||
15:23 | TV timeout | |||
15:16 | Will Baker misses two point jump shot | |||
15:14 | Jordan Wright offensive rebound | |||
15:07 | Jordan Wright misses two point layup | |||
15:05 | Derek Fountain offensive rebound | |||
15:05 | +2 | Derek Fountain makes two point layup | 5-15 | |
15:05 | Zakai Zeigler turnover (lost ball) | |||
14:56 | Mike Williams III turnover (bad pass) (Jordan Gainey steals) | |||
14:52 | +2 | Jordan Gainey makes two point layup (Dalton Knecht assists) | 5-17 | |
14:31 | Tyrell Ward turnover (lost ball) (Jordan Gainey steals) | |||
14:13 | Jahmai Mashack misses two point layup | |||
14:11 | Jordan Wright defensive rebound | |||
13:54 | Jordan Wright misses three point jump shot | |||
13:52 | Dalton Knecht defensive rebound | |||
13:46 | Dalton Knecht misses two point layup | |||
13:44 | Derek Fountain defensive rebound | |||
13:29 | +3 | Tyrell Ward makes three point jump shot (Jordan Wright assists) | 8-17 | |
13:09 | Dalton Knecht misses three point jump shot | |||
13:07 | Derek Fountain defensive rebound | |||
12:38 | +2 | Will Baker makes two point jump shot | 10-17 | |
12:24 | +2 | Jordan Gainey makes two point layup (Dalton Knecht assists) | 10-19 | |
12:10 | +2 | Jordan Wright makes two point layup | 12-19 | |
11:54 | +2 | Dalton Knecht makes two point layup | 12-21 | |
11:32 | +3 | Derek Fountain makes three point jump shot (Jordan Wright assists) | 15-21 | |
10:59 | Jahmai Mashack misses two point jump shot | |||
10:50 | Jordan Wright personal foul | |||
10:50 | TV timeout | |||
10:47 | +2 | Jonas Aidoo makes two point alley-oop layup (Zakai Zeigler assists) | 15-23 | |
10:28 | Trae Hannibal turnover (lost ball) (Zakai Zeigler steals) | |||
10:21 | +3 | Jordan Gainey makes three point jump shot (Zakai Zeigler assists) | 15-26 | |
9:52 | Jordan Wright misses three point jump shot | |||
9:50 | Trae Hannibal offensive rebound | |||
9:47 | Jordan Gainey shooting foul (Trae Hannibal draws the foul) | |||
9:47 | Trae Hannibal misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
9:47 | +1 | Trae Hannibal makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 16-26 | |
9:23 | Santiago Vescovi turnover (bad pass) (Trae Hannibal steals) | |||
9:18 | +2 | Trae Hannibal makes two point layup | 18-26 | |
8:59 | Cameron Carr misses three point jump shot | |||
8:54 | Tigers defensive rebound | |||
8:39 | Dalton Knecht blocks Trae Hannibal's two point layup | |||
8:37 | Jonas Aidoo defensive rebound | |||
8:23 | +3 | Jordan Gainey makes three point jump shot (Dalton Knecht assists) | 18-29 | |
7:46 | Mwani Wilkinson misses three point jump shot | |||
7:45 | Tigers turnover (shot clock violation) | |||
7:45 | TV timeout | |||
7:21 | +3 | Zakai Zeigler makes three point jump shot (Jordan Gainey assists) | 18-32 | |
6:47 | Mwani Wilkinson turnover (bad pass) (Zakai Zeigler steals) | |||
6:41 | Jordan Gainey misses three point jump shot | |||
6:39 | Jalen Reed defensive rebound | |||
6:19 | +2 | Jalen Reed makes two point layup | 20-32 | |
6:10 | Jonas Aidoo misses two point layup | |||
6:08 | Tyrell Ward defensive rebound | |||
5:47 | Mwani Wilkinson turnover (bad pass) (Zakai Zeigler steals) | |||
5:37 | +3 | Zakai Zeigler makes three point jump shot (Jordan Gainey assists) | 20-35 | |
5:19 | Jordan Wright turnover (bad pass) (Jordan Gainey steals) | |||
5:07 | Dalton Knecht misses two point layup | |||
5:05 | Dalton Knecht offensive rebound | |||
5:05 | Will Baker shooting foul (Dalton Knecht draws the foul) | |||
5:05 | +1 | Dalton Knecht makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 20-36 | |
5:05 | +1 | Dalton Knecht makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 20-37 | |
4:48 | +2 | Will Baker makes two point layup | 22-37 | |
4:42 | +3 | Dalton Knecht makes three point jump shot (Jordan Gainey assists) | 22-40 | |
4:40 | Tigers 30 second timeout | |||
4:24 | Will Baker misses two point jump shot | |||
4:22 | Zakai Zeigler defensive rebound | |||
4:15 | +2 | Zakai Zeigler makes two point layup | 22-42 | |
4:05 | Jahmai Mashack personal foul (Mike Williams III draws the foul) | |||
3:53 | Jordan Wright misses three point jump shot | |||
3:51 | Will Baker offensive rebound | |||
3:37 | Tobe Awaka shooting foul (Will Baker draws the foul) | |||
3:37 | TV timeout | |||
3:37 | +1 | Will Baker makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 23-42 | |
3:37 | Will Baker misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
3:37 | Tobe Awaka defensive rebound | |||
3:27 | Dalton Knecht misses two point layup | |||
3:25 | Dalton Knecht offensive rebound | |||
3:22 | +2 | Dalton Knecht makes two point layup | 23-44 | |
3:00 | Zakai Zeigler personal foul | |||
2:45 | +2 | Jordan Wright makes two point layup | 25-44 | |
2:18 | Dalton Knecht misses three point jump shot | |||
2:16 | Trae Hannibal defensive rebound | |||
2:07 | Jordan Wright misses two point layup | |||
2:07 | Volunteers defensive rebound | |||
1:46 | +2 | Jahmai Mashack makes two point layup | 25-46 | |
1:29 | Mwani Wilkinson misses three point jump shot | |||
1:27 | Trae Hannibal offensive rebound | |||
1:15 | Jonas Aidoo shooting foul (Tyrell Ward draws the foul) | |||
1:15 | +1 | Tyrell Ward makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 26-46 | |
1:15 | +1 | Tyrell Ward makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 27-46 | |
0:51 | Dalton Knecht misses two point jump shot | |||
0:49 | Santiago Vescovi offensive rebound | |||
0:45 | +3 | Jahmai Mashack makes three point jump shot (Santiago Vescovi assists) | 27-49 | |
0:13 | Derek Fountain turnover (bad pass) | |||
0:13 | Volunteers 30 second timeout | |||
0:04 | Zakai Zeigler misses three point jump shot | |||
0:02 | Jahmai Mashack offensive rebound | |||
0:02 | Trae Hannibal shooting foul (Jahmai Mashack draws the foul) | |||
0:02 | Jahmai Mashack misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
0:02 | +1 | Jahmai Mashack makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 27-50 | |
0:00 | End of period |