Tennessee holds off Texas to move to second straight Sweet 16

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - No. 2 seed Tennessee will be making its second straight trip to the Sweet 16 after defeating 7-seed Texas on Saturday night 62-58.

This is the Vols’ first Sweet 16 streak since the program made back-to-back trips in 2007 and 2008.

Tennessee’s starting 5 against Texas. #Vols pic.twitter.com/zKmrIhJG4G

— John Sartori (@JohnSartoriTV) March 24, 2024

FIRST HALF

Josiah-Jordan James’ first points of the tournament got the scoring started for Tennessee.

A Jonas Aidoo slam dunk gave the Vols their first lead of the night at 4-3 at the first media timeout.

FIRST HALF | 15:54 | TENNESSEE 4, TEXAS 3

Both teams struggled to open the ballgame. Tennessee missed five of its first seven shots, while Texas hit only one of its first three, turning the ball over four times in the first six minutes.

Tobe Awaka scored his first points of the night to give Tennessee an 8-4 lead.

Texas was held to just four points through the game’s first 7 minutes.

Another Awaka offensive rebound and putback made the score 10-6 in favor of the Vols.

FIRST HALF | 11:38 | TENNESSEE 10, TEXAS 6

Jordan Gainey came away with a steal that led to a fastbreak layup for his first points to give Tennessee a 14-8 lead.

A Josiah-Jordan James reverse layup extended the lead to 16-8, forcing a Texas timeout.

Out of the timeout, Texas pulled within two on a 6-0 run.

FIRST HALF | 7:22 | TENNESSEE 16, TEXAS 14

Out of the timeout, a Zakai Zeigler steal led to a free throw opportunity for Dalton Knecht. Knecht made both to extend the lead to 18-14.

The Vols have held Texas star Dylan Disu to just 2-8 shooting to open the game. The Vols have struggled from three, missing their first eleven shots from long range.

FIRST HALF | 2:19 | TENNESSEE 21, TEXAS 17

Zakai Zeigler made Tennessee’s first three of the night to give the Vols their largest lead at 26-17.

The Vols built their first double-digit lead on a Dalton Knecht layup, making the score 28-17.

FIRST HALF | 34.6 | TENNESSEE 28, TEXAS 19

Max Abmas’ buzzer beater was off the mark to send the game to halftime with the Volunteers on top.

Tennessee shot just 30.8% from the field in the half but held Texas to less than 29% from the field on the defensive end.

HALFTIME | TENNESSEE 28, TEXAS 19

Jonas Aidoo opened the scoring for Tennessee in the second half to make the score 30-21. (This basket was later disallowed following a review.)

Santiago Vescovi scored his first points off a steal to extend the Vol lead to double digits. The Vols scored 11 of their first 32 points off turnovers.

SECOND HALF | 15:54 | TENNESSEE 32, TEXAS 23

Dalton Knecht slammed home an offensive rebound for just his second field goal of the night to give the Vols a 34-23 lead.

Tobe Awaka reached double figures with a right-handed lay-in to extend the lead to 36-25.

The game headed to the under-12 media timeout following a vicious Tobe Awaka block on a Chendal Weaver dunk attempt.

SECOND HALF | 11:13 | TENNESSEE 40, TEXAS 31

Tobe Awaka picked up his fourth foul of the night, to send Texas to the line where it cut the lead down to four at 41-37.

A Zakai Zeigler layup ended the Tennessee drought, extending the lead to 43-37.

After a thunderous Dalton Knecht slam, Max Abmas answered with a three to make the score 45-42, forcing a Tennessee timeout.

SECOND HALF | 7:11 | TENNESSEE 45, TEXAS 42

Jonas Aidoo extended the Tennessee lead to two possessions with a slam dunk at 47-42.

Dylan Disu missed another three pointer on the other end. Disu is now 3-14 from the field and 1-5 from three.

SECOND HALF | 6:00 | TENNESSEE 47, TEXAS 42

Dalton Knecht extended the lead to eight on a corner three, his first of the night.

Josiah-Jordan James hit a corner three of his own to make the score 55-43 with 4:15 remaining.

SECOND HALF | 3:12 | TENNESSEE 53, TEXAS 48

Josiah-Jordan James extended the lead back to 7 with a reverse layup before Dylan Disu cut it back to four on a three.

Tyrese Hunter made it a two-point game, forcing a Tennessee timeout with 1:44 left.

SECOND HALF | 1:44 | TENNESSEE 55, TEXAS 53

A Dylan Disu block gave Texas the basketball with a chance to tie the game with 1:20 remaining.

Disu nearly tied it, but his layup attempt rolled off the rim to preserve the Tennessee lead with 1:05 left.

Jonas Aidoo made a free throw to give the Vols a 56-53 lead with 45 seconds to play.

A Max Abmas layup cut the lead to one with 28 seconds left.

Jonas Aidoo extended the lead to 58-55 on a pair of foul shots with 24 seconds to go.

Max Abmas missed a corner three to tie. Dalton Knecht collected his ninth rebound of the night on the miss.

Knecht made a pair of free throws to extend the lead to five.

Tyrese Hunter made a three-pointer with 4.2 seconds remaining to keep the Longhorns alive at 60-58.

Dalton Knecht iced the game with a pair of free throws to send the Vols to the Sweet 16.

FINAL | TENNESSEE 62, TEXAS 58

Tennessee will face the winner of Creighton-Oregon in the Sweet 16.

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