No. 5 Tennessee earned an 81-76 victory over in-state rival Vanderbilt on Saturday afternoon in Knoxville, almost exactly one month after the Vols’ last-second loss to the Commodores in Nashville.
Vanderbilt took it to Tennessee in the first half, scoring 44 points compared to the Vols’ 31 points at the break. The game changed in the second half, though. Behind 22 points from Tennessee guard Zakai Zeigler in the final 20 minutes, the Vols outscored the Commodores by 18 points to earn the five-point victory.
Chaz Lanier recorded 21 points and eight rebounds in the game as the Vols’ second-leading scorer.
Tennessee’s rocky start to the game still provides some areas that the Vols have to improve on in the final five games of the season, but the Vols can also build off of the resilient, comeback win moving forward. Tennessee will have a mid-week bye on the horizon before its next game on Saturday against No. 8 Texas A&M.
Tennessee Basketball: Three Quick Takeaways As Zakai Zeigler Propels Tennessee Basketball Past Vanderbilt
More from RTI: Tennessee’s Rick Barnes, Vanderbilt’s Mark Byington React to Vols’ Comeback Win in Knoxville
After the game on Saturday, RTI’s Ryan Schumpert and Ric Butler hit the court to break down their quick reaction to the Vols’ rivalry win in the Food City Center.
Check it out below:
