CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Dalton Knecht hit a corner three-pointer on the game’s first possession. Jonas Aidoo scored Tennessee’s next seven points. Zakai Zeigler assisted on the Vols’ first three baskets.
The Vols’ three best players came out sharp and were at their best as Tennessee basketball coasted to an 83-49 NCAA Tournament opening victory over Saint Peter’s.
“Game plans change, everything is different from game-to-game but we know that we have to have consistency from top-to-bottom and I know if we get those types of nights from those guys then we’ll set ourselves up really nicely,” senior Josiah-Jordan James said postgame.
Zakai Zeigler was in control and command from the jump. Rick Barnes remarked earlier in the week that he might have to calm Zeigler down early in the game after the point guard missed the NCAA Tournament last season and was facing his brother in the opening matchup.
No need to worry. Zeigler recorded the first points-assist double-double in Tennessee NCAA Tournament history by scoring 11 points and dishing out 10 assists, feeding off his teammates energy.
“Really just seeing my teammates be confident,” Zeigler said of his performance. “I feed a lot off their energy the same way they feed off my energy. That’s them taking their shots and fighting for loose balls. It just gives me a lot of energy.”
Dalton Knecht was Dalton Knecht. Maybe that is obvious but playing in the NCAA Tournament was a new challenge for the consensus First Team All-American.
“You do worry about that,” Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said. “You worry about when they step out there because this is something all kids grow up wanting to be a part of March Madness. They all do.”
Seeing that first shot go down relieved any nerves that Knecht had. The 6-foot-6 shooting guard scored a game-high 23 points on an efficient eight-of-15 shooting from the field while also grabbing eight rebounds.
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Jonas Aidoo’s stat line was the most modest of the bunch — 15 points and five rebounds — but it felt like the most important because the way he jumped on Saint Peter’s early. The junior power forward was confident and decisive on the court, usually a sign that he’s at his best.
“Him just being aggressive, not overthinking,” junior guard Jahmai Mashack said. “Jonas is at his best when he just has one goal in mind and that’s to be him. There’s nobody else in the country that is Jonas Aidoo. What he does is special and what he does, you can’t replicate it.”
Barnes harps on the need for the wirey Aidoo to play with force inside and while it came against a smaller front line, that’s exactly what he did against Saint Peter’s.
“(It) Looks like what he did tonight,” James said. “Dunking the ball, talking a little smack. Getting to his spots and we know when he’s at his best, we’re at our best.”
Tennessee will need good performances from various role players throughout the tournament if they’re going to get where they want to go.
But Knecht, Zeigler and Aidoo have been Tennessee’s best and most important players all season. Zeigler is the floor general and the head of the snake defensively. Aidoo is the anchor and can bring a calming presence on both ends when he’s at his best. Knecht is Knecht. A scoring sensation.
When all three are playing well like they did against Saint Peter’s?
“We’re a special team, man,” Mashack said.
