Tennessee basketball wins 103-68 at home after dominating Austin Peay in a favorable matchup.
Coach Barnes and the Tennessee Volunteers took care of business on Sunday afternoon against the Governors of Austin Peay in a commanding 103-68 victory.
The Vols were led by Igor Milicic Jr. and Zakai Zeigler. In his description of Charlotte transfer Igor Milicic Jr., head coach Rick Barnes called him a “versatile threat.” Milicic Jr. made his first six field-goal attempts and eventually totaled a game-high 23 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocks while shooting 11–14.
Additionally, Zeigler shot 7-8 from the field and 3-4 from behind the arc to finish with 19 points, 8 assists, and 3 rebounds. With 7:16 remaining in the first half, Zeigler recorded his fifth assist of the day, making him the fifth player in Tennessee basketball history to reach the 500-assist mark. Long-time teammate Jahmai Mashack described Zeigler as a “player who always thinks two steps ahead,” when asked how he can adjust to Zeigler’s playmaking.
Everything was clicking for Tennessee as the team shot a remarkable 63.8% from the field, tied for its fifth-best mark of the last 20 seasons. Late in the first half, the Vols hit nine consecutive baskets after going on an early 21-2 run.
Six players scored double figures for the first time in almost two years. For the starting lineup, senior Jahmai Mashack contributed 10 points while Ohio State transfer Felix Okpara scored 12. Senior guard Jordan Gainey scored 15 points off the bench, and Cade Phillips recorded a career-high 13 points and 9 rebounds.
This game served as an experiential test for the Govs. Among Tennessee basketball opponents this season, Austin Peay scored the most points. “Believe it or not, our goal as a staff was to score 72 points, and we were four points shy,” said head coach Corey Gipson when asked how he thought his team faired against Tennessee’s stifling defense.
Backcourt tandem Isaac Haney and L.J. Thomas led in the scoring department. Haney finished with 22 points on 7-14 shooting from the field and 5-11 from the three-point line: Thomas added 20 points on 18 shots.
Takeaway #1: Attacking the paint
Attacking the rim was Tennessee’s response to Austin Peay’s aggressive perimeter defense. Eight of the Volunteers’ first nine field goals were at the rim. The Vols ended the half with 19 baskets, only two of which came from beyond the three-point line, demonstrating that the trend would continue. The second half was no different as Tennessee would finish the game with a season-high 64 points in the paint, outscoring the Govs by 42 in that category.
This ongoing paint attack also led to a season-high 33 free throw attempts for the Volunteers. Senior Jahmai Mashack led the team in free throw attempts and makes, reaching a career-high of 8–10. Jordan Gainey also added six makes on eight attempts from the stripe.
Takeaway #2: Causing disruption on defense
The victory on Sunday served as yet another example of this Rick Barnes squad’s superior defensive skills. Coming out in a man-press defense, the Vols looked to speed up Austin Peay’s offense and get hands on the ball without fouling. In all, Tennessee forced 13 turnovers, 10 of which were steals. Standout transfer Chaz Lanier led the Vols in this category with 4. Coach Barnes said he has been quite pleased with Lanier’s defensive development.
Additionally, the Volunteers finished the game with a season-high ten blocks. Forward Felix Okpara took the lead in this area with three powerful blocks that energized the audience.
Takeaway #3: Experimenting with offense & lineups
In this game, Tennessee basketball tested various offensive sets and lineup combinations. Coach Barnes hinted that the team’s offense was freelance. When asked what contributed to the offense’s success, Barnes responded, “We did not run a lot of plays and really tried to spread the floor.”
In addition, the Vols used a variety of lineups in this game. With forward J.P. Estrella sidelined with a foot injury and guard Darlinstone Dubar out for the fourth consecutive game, Tennessee’s rotations were shortened. As a result, lineups changed, with an occasional arrangement of Jahmai Mashack playing the four and Igor Milicic Jr. playing the five. Sophomore forward Cade Phillips also played quality minutes alongside Milicic Jr. and Felix Okpara. Barnes even played freshman guard Bishop Boswell alongside Zakai Zeigler late in the second half.
Barnes expressed that the Volunteers need to keep improving and that this experimental game plan probably won’t be implemented in future contests.
Tennessee basketball will now travel to Nassau, Bahamas, where it will play Virginia in the Baha Mar Championship live on CBS Sports Network on Thursday at 9:30 p.m.
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Next up for Tennessee (4-0): vs. Virginia (3-0) – Nov. 21 at 9:30 p.m.
Next Up for Austin Peay (3-1): at Morehead St (1-3) – Nov. 20 at 7 p.m.