Tennessee vs Austin Peay: Volunteers Dominate the Governors

Tennessee basketball did not take their opponent lightly on Sunday, using an efficient offense and defensive attack to soundly defeat Austin Peay.

Tanner Johnson | Nov 18, 2024

Tennessee basketball coach Rick Barnes talks with Igor Miličić Jr. (7) during a college basketball exhibition game against Indiana on Sunday, October 27, 2024, in Knoxville. Tenn. / Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Tennessee Volunteers

Tennessee basketball did not take their opponent lightly on Sunday, using an efficient offense and defensive attack to soundly defeat Austin Peay.

Tennessee basketball improved to 4-0 with a 103-68 win over previously unbeaten Austin Peay on Sunday at Food City Center.

The Volunteers were led in scoring by Igor Millicic Jr. with 23 points and Zakai Zeigler with 19 and eight assists. The Vols did not shoot the ball well from deep, but it did not matter as the game was not close from the opening minutes.

To open the game, Tennessee answered an Austin Peay 3-pointer with a 9-0 run. Zeigler had five of those points including the Vols’ first 3-pointer of the game. The Vols were up 15-5 with 14:43 remaining in the first half after Jahmai Mashack converted two free throws. It was 23-7 after Chaz Lanier’s first basket of the game came at the rim after a nice spin move.

After a quick 7-0 run by Austin Peay, Millicic scored a layup through contact and converted the free throw. He then had a dunk that gave him 13 points and had Tennessee up 30-16 with 7:53 remaining in the half. Millicic continued to torment Austin Peay and was up to 15 points on 7-of-9 shooting as the Vols could not miss. They led 44-24 after another Mashack free throw with 4:05 to play in the half.

The halftime score was 52-29 as the Vols shot 70.4% from the floor and had 21 points off turnovers. The second half started out with more of the same outcome as the Vols led 61-34 with 15:56 left in the game. Zeigler continued his great start and was 6-of-6 from the floor and the Vols had a 70-43 lead with under 12 to play.

The rest of the game was just the Vols cruising to a blowout victory and maintaining their lead. Tennessee won by a final score of 103-68 after emptying their bench with a few minutes left.