This game had all the makings of an elite team like Tennessee basketball struggling to put it away. The Vols were facing a mid-major program expected to win its conference, they suffered foul trouble with key players early, they are down one key player, and another one is playing hurt.
With all those issues, you would expect the Vols to win in ugly fashion, by maybe pull out something like a 15-point victory. After all, they only beat the Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs by 16 to open the season. Instead, UT won by 35 and proved just how elite it could be.
Early in the game, both Chaz Lanier and Zakai Zeigler, the two starting guards who are also responsible for manufacturing points for Tennessee basketball and turning up the heat on defense, picked up two fouls each. As a result, Rick Barnes had to turn to Jordan Gainey, Cameron Carr and Bishop Boswell.
Beyond Lanier and Zeigler going out, the Vols are also still without a guy who will likely turn into their best wing, Darlinstone Dubar. He is back with the team after missing time due to a personal injury, but his absence limits the offense while the other two being out limit the defense. Then there is J.P. Estrella, who is still playing banged up in the post.
None of this mattered.
UT went off in this one, finding other ways to score. Barnes turned to his size advantage in the paint with two transfers in the starting lineup. Igor Milicic Jr. lived up to his finesse offensive billing with 18 points and 10 rebounds. He also had five assists and two steals, while nailing two threes and was easily player of the game.
Felix Okpara stepped up as the athletic five as well, though, blocking two shots en route to 13 points. Estrella, despite being hurt, scored eight points off the bench, and Cade Phillips came in to score four points. Simply put, Tennessee basketball needed to dominate down low, and that’s what it did.
The depth of the guards showed as well, though, as Carr came in and scored 13 points off the bench. Gainey added four points. Jahmai Mashack as a starter remained a defensive specialist and, despite an off-night shooting, was able to come away with eight points.
None of this means Lanier and Zeigler weren’t useful. They scored 13 and 11 respectively, both hitting three three-pointers. Zeigler added seven assists, still playing like a true point guard. Together, they continue to give Tennessee basketball the most lethal backcourt in the nation.
If not for the foul trouble, Estrella playing hurt and Dubar being out, you could easily have seen this game ending up something like 105-50 for the Vols against a solid lower-level program. Instead, they still won in convincing fashion, and Rick Barnes surpassed Don DeVoe for the second most wins of any head coach in UT history.
With the win, Tennessee basketball, ranked No. 11 in the AP Poll and No. 9 in the Coaches Poll, improves to 3-0 on the year and will next host the Austin Peay Governors on Sunday, Nov. 17. Montana falls to 2-2 and will next visit the Utah State Aggies this coming Monday.
