No. 12 Tennessee moved to 1-0 to start the 2024-2025 season with an 80-64 victory over Gardner-Webb on Monday night in Knoxville.
The Vols relied on their guard play to get them the victory with the top four leading scorers from Tennessee in the backcourt. Transfer guard Chaz Lanier finished with 18, Jordan Gainey had 16, Zakai Zeigler had 13, and Jahmai Mashack had 10.
Tennessee did slightly struggle at times throughout the game, particularly with a big run from Gardner-Webb to close out the final few minutes of the game, but it was certainly nothing to hit the panic button on. The Vols have several new faces to the program this season as the team continues to mesh together and figure out the style that works best for them on the court.
RTI hosts Ryan Schumpert and Ric Butler broke down that thought and much more on a quick RTI: Instant Reaction from the Food City Center court on Monday night after the game. The guys talked about the big play from Tennessee’s guards, Lanier’s strong debut, Felix Okpara’s injury status, rebounding, and much more.
More from RTI: Three Quick Takeaways As Tennessee Basketball Opens Season With Win Over Gardner-Webb
Check out the full RTI: Instant Reaction video after the Vols’ season-opening win below:
