No. 1 Tennessee triumphed over No. 23 Arkansas with a decisive score of 76-52 on Saturday, marking a significant achievement as they tied for the best start to a season in the program’s history. Chaz Lanier played a pivotal role in this victory, contributing 29 points to propel his team forward.
The Volunteers, boasting a record of 14-0 and 1-0 in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), now share this remarkable start with the 1922-23 team, as confirmed by the university.
Supporting Lanier, Igor Milicic Jr. made an impressive impact with 13 points and 18 rebounds, while Zakai Zeigler added 12 points and dished out seven assists, showcasing the depth of talent on the Tennessee roster.
In an interesting twist, Tennessee’s shooting from beyond the arc was almost better than their overall field goal percentage, hitting 38.5% (10 of 26) from three-point range compared to 39.1% (27 of 69) from the field.
On the other side, Arkansas saw D.J. Wagner score 17 points and Boogie Fland contribute 12 points, but it wasn’t enough to secure a win, leaving their record at 11-3 and 0-1 in the SEC.
Takeaways
For Tennessee, the challenge lies in managing the workload of an eight-player rotation, as coach Rick Barnes seeks to alleviate the pressure on his athletes. Freshman guard Bishop Boswell, the ninth player on the roster, is recovering from a shoulder injury and is gradually working to regain his fitness for competition.
Key moment
A turning point in the game occurred when the score was tied at 12 midway through the first half. Lanier took charge, scoring seven consecutive points, which sparked a nine-point run for the Volunteers, providing them with a lead they maintained throughout the contest.
Key stat
Tennessee dominated the boards, achieving a 27-12 rebounding advantage in the first half and finishing the game with a commanding 51-29 margin.
Up next
Looking ahead, Arkansas will host No. 24 Ole Miss on Wednesday, while Tennessee prepares to face No. 6 Florida on Tuesday, setting the stage for more exciting SEC action.
