No. 6 Tennessee basketball defeated No. 23 Georgia, 74-56, despite a shaky offensive start.
The No. 6 Tennessee Volunteers rallied from a one-point halftime deficit to cruise past No. 23 Georgia by 18 points on Wednesday night.
This match-up was expected to be a rebound game for star guard Chaz Lanier, but that was not the case in the end. Lanier’s struggles continued as he finished the game with just five points on a dreadful 2-of-16 shooting from the floor and 1-of-9 shooting from beyond the arc.
Positively, five Volunteers scored nine or more points during the contest. Senior guard Jahmai Mashack scored a season-high 11 points and made all five field goal attempts, becoming the first Tennessee player to do so since February 25, 2023. Igor Miličić Jr. dominated the game with nine points, nine rebounds ( a career-high seven offensive), three assists, and three steals, tying his career high.
On the other hand, Freshman forward and reigning SEC Freshman of the Week Asa Newell led Georgia with 13 points and five rebounds on an efficient 4-of-8 shooting from the floor. Silas Demary Jr., a sophomore guard, was the only other Bulldog to reach double figures, scoring 12 points on 4-of-7 three-point attempts.
With this loss, head coach Mike White’s team falls to 14-3 on the season and 2-2 in conference.
Takeaway #1: Zakai Zeigler ignites second-half surge
Tennessee’s offense struggled in the first half, going 9-for-33 and scoring only 25 points in the opening 20 minutes. The Vols went nearly seven minutes without a field goal until Chaz Lanier’s jumper late in the half.
This trend, however, would not continue in the second half, as the Vols stormed out of the gate to seize control of the game and deliver a knockout punch.
Tennessee basketball overwhelmed Georgia with a 26-4 run, shooting 9-of-13 from the field to begin the second half. The run began with two Mashack field goals, including a three-pointer, and a ferocious Felix Okpara putback slam. Gainey, Mashack, and Cade Phillips increased the pressure before Zeigler scorched the Bulldogs.
Senior guard Zakai Zeigler was the most crucial player for the Volunteers during their run. As he so often is, Zeigler was in the middle of it all as he scored 11 of his 16 points and dished out five of his game-high seven assists in the second half.
He nailed three three-pointers in 70 seconds to erupt the fans at Food City Center and extend the lead to 51-30, transforming a one-point halftime deficit into a 21-point advantage.
Georgia never cut the deficit to single digits again.
Rick Barnes on Zakai Zeigler: “I don’t know what I would do without him. He’s my comfort blanket. He really is. It’s a blessing to have had him with us. He’s truly been one of the great Volunteers. It’s amazing what he does.”
Tennessee basketball shot 57.6 percent (19-of-33) from the field, with 41.7 percent (5-of-12) from behind the arc in the second half. It went a perfect 10-for-10 from the line in the win, its first perfect free throw record since the 2023-24 season opener against Tennessee Tech on November 6, 2023.
Takeaway #2: The Volunteers dominate on the defensive end
Tennessee basketball’s fourth-best defensive rating in the country was in full effect Wednesday night.
Rick Barnes’ team caused Georgia to turn the ball over 19 times, which Tennessee translated into 19 points. Senior guard Dakota Leffew was responsible for six of the turnovers. The Volunteers, on the other hand, only committed ten turnovers.
Steals accounted for 11 of the Volunteers’ 19 forced turnovers.
Zakai Zeigler, the SEC’s reigning defensive player of the year, led the Vols in this category with six takeaways. The Long Island, New York native, who increased his career steals total to 215 to break Santiago Vescovi’s record by three, also became the first Volunteer since Nov. 30, 2021, to record at least a half-dozen steals in a single game.
The Volunteers also had a great deal of success changing shots from the perimeter and the rim.
Tennessee won the blocks battle 6-to-2, with Ohio State transfer Felix Okpara tallying three for the second straight game and senior guard Jahmai Mashack adding two of his own. To add to his impressive game totals, 5’9″ Zakai Zeigler recorded a block as well.
Takeaway #3: Tennessee benefits from elite bench production
The game’s leading scorer came off the Volunteers’ bench.
Jordan Gainey scored 19 points, his second-most as a Vol and four short of his season high. He shot 6-of-12 from the field and a perfect 6-of-6 at the line. He scored 14 points in the final 16 minutes and added a career-high seven rebounds to his total.
Additionally, sophomore forward Cade Phillips scored 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting and a co-career-high three assists and helped key a dominant rebounding effort from the Vols.
Tennessee’s bench has scored 22 or more points in two consecutive SEC games.
The Volunteers’ performance without a big game from Lanier showcased their depth and versatility, which are crucial qualities for a championship-caliber squad. Tennessee might be a powerful force in the tournament if they can keep winning even when their best player is not playing well.
Tennessee basketball’s next game is an in-state road trip to Nashville, where it will face Vanderbilt in Memorial Gymnasium on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET, broadcast live on SEC Network.
To keep up with Tennessee Volunteers basketball on social media, follow @BleedOrangeRev on X/Twitter.
Next up for Tennessee (16-1, 3-1): at Vanderbilt (14-3, 2-2) – Jan. 18 at 3:30 p.m. EST
Next up for Georgia (14-3, 2-2): vs. Auburn (16-1, 4-0) – Jan. 18 at 1 p.m. EST