No. 8 Tennessee defeated Tarleton State by a score of 65-46 on Thursday night in Knoxville as the Vols’ final game in 2023. Tennessee will return to the court on January 2 for a contest against Norfolk State before hosting Ole Miss to start SEC play on January 6.
Thursday’s game wasn’t the prettiest game for Tennessee’s offense, but the Vols were able to keep the Texans at bay behind solid defense, balanced scoring, and a late-game run to close out the contest.
Scoring:
Zeigler – 13
Vescovi – 12
James – 10
Gainey – 9
Aidoo – 7
Knecht – 6
More from RTI: Three Quick Takeaways as Tennessee Basketball Slugs Past Tarleton State
Josiah-Jordan James was a bright spot for Tennessee on Thursday, racking up a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds on the night.
After the conclusion of the game, Tarleton State acting head coach Joseph Jones met with the media to quickly discuss his thoughts on the game. Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes followed next and spoke about his reaction to the game, his Hall of Fame nomination, Dalton Knecht and Jordan Gainey, and much more.
In addition to Barnes, Tennessee also had guards Jordan Gainey and Santiago Vescovi speak with the media.
Check out all three interviews below:
Tarleton State Acting HC Joseph Jones
Tennessee HC Rick Barnes
Tennessee G Santiago Vescovi, G Jordan Gainey
