The Tennessee Volunteers put together their best all-around game of the season Saturday afternoon as they smothered Alabama 91-71.
It was a game where something had to give as Alabama has scored over 74 points in every game this season, while the Vols are just 4-3 when allowing that many points. In the end, the Crimson Tide gave, but not without a fight.
Despite the lopsided score, the game was closer than it seemed as Alabama got timely baskets when it needed to until the final minutes. In fact, the Tide outrebounded the Vols offensively and defensively. That wouldn’t matter in the outcome, though.
Tennessee’s active defense had 16 steals, which led to 22 turnovers and the Vols allowed only one Alabama player, Guard Mark Sears, to get double figures. Sears is Alabama’s leading scorer at 19 PPG and he just beat his average on Saturday with 22 points. However, the other three players who average double figures in scoring – Estrada, Nelson and Griffin – were held to a combined 18 points as the Crimson Tide was held to 4-21 from the three-point line.
The Vols played one of their most balanced games of the season. They are at their best when leading scorer Dalton Knecht scores well but does not dominate the ball.
That was the case today as the SEC’s second leading scorer followed up his 39-point and 36-point performances with a 25-point gem.
Center Jonas Aidoo continued his recent stellar streak with 19 points, most of them off an assist from just about everyone on the team (the Vols had 21 total assists). Jordan Gainey pitched in 15 points, Santiago Vescovi had ten points and Zakai Ziegler had eight points. Vescovi, in particular, had a strong game in which his overall impact was not reflected in his point totals, a great sight after some disappointing outings recently.
The Vols have won ten of their last 11 games and are now 10-0 in Food City Center this season.
Tennessee has a week off before facing Vanderbilt in Nashville on January 27th.
Their next game in Knoxville is against South Carolina on January 30th and they face the Crimson Tide again on March 2nd in Tuscaloosa.
