A game that looked as if it could get out of hand midway through the second half, turned out to be a little closer than most Vol fans would have liked. With 9:47 remaining, Tennessee jumped out to an 18 point lead, thanks to some hot three-point shooting, and appeared to be on their way to an easy victory.
Gonzaga refused to quit however, and battled back to within 5 points on a three-point shot of it’s own with just 1:15 left on the clock.
The Vols kept their heads, remained focused, and in the games final minute, showed the type of effort that we’ve become accustomed to seeing from this team. In the end, Tyler Smith scored on a breakaway dunk as time expired with Tennessee on top 82-72.
At times this season, the Vols have struggled to find that killer instinct. It’s likely a different mentality for a team that prides itself on ‘controlled chaos’ to play the final minutes of a basketball game with the lead. Several quick shots by Tennessee late in the game allowed the outcome to remain in question a little longer than it should have.
Coach Pearl doesn’t ever seem too bothered by our shot selection. According to his post game interview, he seemed more concerned about Jordan Howell and Chris Lofton turning the ball over in the backcourt late in the game. In both instances Gonzaga capitalized, finishing with baskets on their end.
It’s a great win by a Tennessee team that, according to ESPN announcers, now has the reputation of being a ‘go anywhere play anyone‘ type of team. That has a Chuck Norris or Charles Bronson type of ring to it…. don’t you think?
Tennessee improves to 12-1 on the season and will play next on January 9th in their SEC opener against Ole Miss at Thompson Boling Arena.
Gonzaga Box Score