Nashville, Tenn. – Fresh off a comeback win over the Georgia Bulldogs, Tennessee looked to extend its win streak to three against Vanderbilt.
The Vols would not make it easy on themselves after giving up 41 points in the first half, the most they’ve allowed in SEC play.
Tennessee came close, but couldn’t close.
My three takeaways following the upset loss to in-state-rival Vanderbilt.
1. The threes came and went for Tennessee
The three-point tries were falling early and often against Vanderbilt.
After missing its first two shots to start the game, Tennessee went 7-9.
Starting the stretch was a three-pointer by Zakai Zeigler at the 17:37 mark to make it 5-3 Vandy.
The next bucket was a second-chance three-point by Jordan Gainey. Gainey initially missed on a jumper but Zeigler rebounded to keep the possession alive. It ended with Zeigler dishing it out Gainey for a triple from the wing.
90 seconds later, Igor Milicic Jr. sank the trey to give Tennessee its first lead of the game, 11-10.
Chaz Lanier showed great speed on a catch-and-shoot triple from the wing. This came after missing on his first three-point attempt to start the game.
Tennessee was massively impressive and decisive on its perimeter looks to start the game.
Zeigler connected on the team’s fifth triple on a wide-open look from the top of the arc. That three-pointer capped an 11-1 over 02:56 and Tennessee was 5-6 from beyond the arc.
Vanderbilt had to disrupt that momentum and called a timeout. In that stretch, Vandy was on an 03:06 scoring drought.
Nearly four minutes would pass before Tennessee connected on its next triple try.
When it came, it was a massive bucket. A corner three by Darlinstone Dubar, a type of three Tennessee only averages three times a game, 26-21 Tennessee.
Tennessee would miss its next three attempts.
After a near-seven-minute scoring drought in the final eight minutes of the first half, Lanier cashed in on a crucial catch-and-shoot triple from the top of the arc that made it 37-33 Vandy.
With 00:03 left in the half, Gainey had the final look but bricked his three-point attempt.
Tennessee closed the first half, 7-14 from three after starting 5-6.
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Tennessee’s Terrible Turnovers
Tennessee could not get out of their own way against Vanderbilt.
Gainey’s corner three was blocked by Vandy’s Jaylen Carey and Jason Edwards recovered it. On the other end, Carey gets the ball and makes a driving layup to regain the lead, 30-28 VU.
While in the midst of a scoring drought, Tennessee can’t find an open look as the shot clock quickly winds down and as Mashack drives in the paint with 3 seconds left, tries a stepback jumper. Gets deflected and Carey grabs the defensive rebound.
Milicic trying to find an open teammate, commits a traveling violation. Vandy’s Jason Edwards gets the fadeaway jumper off the turnover, 35-28 Vols. The bucket part of an 11-0 run for VU and during Tennessee’s 06:52 scoring drought to close the first half. Edwards also had 10 points in the first half.
Vanderbilt had 9 points off turnovers in the first half. Tennessee on average only gives up 13.9.
To open the second half, Vandy went on a 9-0 run after back-to-back explosive three-pointers by Edwards, Barnes called a timeout.
Edwards’ first three followed a bad pass turnover by Lanier, the next on a fast break. That gave VU its 12th point off turnovers.
Just over a minute later, Zeigler turned the ball over on a lost ball and Nickle capitalized with a three-pointer on the other end to give VU its 15th point off turnovers.
Vanderbilt came up with another steal on a bad pass, this time it was against Zeigler and Barnes was visibly upset. He threw his face into his hands as VU capitalized with a fastbreak dunk! It’s not looking pretty, the Vols trail 64-52.
Vandy had 17 points off turnovers near the midway point of the second half. Just over a minute later, Vanderbilt got another bucket off a lost ball by Zeigler.
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The climb back started too late.
Vanderbilt mounted its largest lead of the game midway into the second half at 16 points, 68-52.
After that moment, Tennessee started to claw its way back.
Zeigler made a driving layup to bring it to a 12-point game. Next, he’d assist Okpara on an alleyoop dunk off a Vandy turnover to make it a 10-point game.
Milicic brought it to 8 on a second-chance dunk, 68-76 Vandy with 02:35 to go.
The massive play came off a Gainey steal on a Vandy inbounds pass, he dished it to Lanier to cashed in a layup to make it 76-72 with 01:29 to go.
Under a minute to go, Zeigler tried a drying layup, got fouled, and made both of his free throws to make it 76-74 with 00:45 to go.
Vandy had the next possession, and AJ Hoggard had a wide-open look from the wing but bricked it and Milicic grabbed the defensive rebound.
With 11.9 to go, Tennessee called its final timeout.
Lanier had one of the final looks, a driving layup but got stuffed by Chris Manon with 00:05 to go.
Then after a foul on Vandy’s Tyler Tanner, he went to the line but missed his free throw.
Tennessee grabbed the defensive rebound and Lanier was fouled.
With 00:02 to go, he made one of his two free throws. Zeigler had the final look but it wouldn’t fall.
Tennessee loses 76-75 and Vanderbilt storms the court.
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