Well, that was quite the statement from the Tennessee Vols on Saturday in Norman, Oklahoma. Behind a furious offensive output in the first half, Tennessee buried the Oklahoma Sooners on Saturday afternoon 70-52.
Chaz Lanier led the Vols with 21 points on 9/17 shooting (3-10 from three) with 5 rebounds and 2 assists. Zakai Zeigler had a game-high 9 assists with 17 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 steals. Felix Okpara was a menace on the defensive end at the rim with 4 blocks.
This one was all about the first half for Tennessee. The Vols started red hot on both ends of the floor, establishing themselves quickly. After OU took quick 5-2 lead, the Vols put the ball in the basket on their next five shots to take a 13-9 lead going into the first media timeout that they would never give up the rest of the game.
As the Vols defense forced long shot after long shot with strong defense (mostly missed shots, I should say), the offense kept putting the ball in the basket to stretch the lead quickly to 27-16 10 minutes in, and then to 33-19 after back-to-back threes from Darlinstone Dubar and Jordan Gainey. The lead pushed to 20 right before the final media timeout when Zakai Zeigler splashed home a three to put the lead to 41-21. They would carry that 20-point lead into the locker room at 45-25, which would prove to be insurmountable.
The Vols’ first half stats were perhaps the best of the season. Tennessee shot 69.2% from the floor (18-26) and 58.3% from three (7-12). That was in large part to Lanier’s outstanding frame with 13 points on 5-7 (3-4) shooting). Pretty, pretty, pretty good.
The second half was far less memorable, but with a 20-point cushion, it just had to not be disastrous, and it wasn’t. OU tried to get back into it, cutting the lead to 15 at 49-34. The Vols quickly answered with an 8-2 run to push the lead back to over 20 at 57-36, and that’s largely around where it stayed for the rest of the game.
For the game, Tennessee shot 60.4% (29-48) and 42.9% from three (9-21). Their defense held OU to 32.1% (17-53) and 26.1% (6-23).
An impressive road win and one that gives hope that the Vols have found their sea legs again on the offensive end of the floor.