University of Tennessee Athletics
University of Tennessee
9-8, 2-3SEC
Vanderbilt
8-9, 2-3SEC
Hot-Shooting Vols Top Vanderbilt, 87-75
January 14, 2017 | Men's Basketball
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NASHVILLE -- Behind a season-best 23 points from freshman Jordan Bone, Tennessee defeated in-state and in-conference foe Vanderbilt, 87-75, on Saturday night.
The win gave UT (9-8, 2-3 SEC) its third true road victory of the season.
Playing his first collegiate game in his home city of Nashville, Bone dropped 23 points on 8-of-12 shooting, including a 4-of-5 mark from three. Entering Saturday's game, Bone was just 1-for-10 from distance in his career. The true freshman also dished out five assists.
Four more Vols scored in double figures at Memorial Gym. Admiral Schofield finished with 15 points while Robert Hubbs III, Lamonte Turner and Grant Williams each finished with 12. Williams added nine rebounds and four blocks--both game-highs.
Tennessee led the majority of the game, shooting a season-best 58.6 percent (34-of-58) from the field to keep Vanderbilt (8-9, 2-3 SEC) at bay.
In the first half, UT used 55 percent shooting and a hard-nosed defensive span during which the Commodores were held without a field goal for six minutes to take a 39-34 lead into halftime.
Vanderbilt attempted only 18 first-half shots compared to UT's 33, but the Dores kept things close by going 13-for-16 at the free-throw line. Tennessee did not attempt a free throw during the opening half.
Vols freshman Grant Williams corralled three of UT's six offensive rebounds before the break, helping the Big Orange to an 11-0 edge in second-chance points over the first 20 minutes.
HISTORIC SCORING OUTPUT: Tennessee's 87 points were the most it had ever scored against Vanderbilt in Memorial Gymnasium. The Commodores have been playing home games at Memorial Gymnasium since 1952.
The 87 points were also the most UT had scored against its in-state rival in any game since Feb. 21, 1998, when it defeated Vanderbilt 90-76 in Knoxville.
VOLS TRIPLE LAST SEASON'S ROAD WINS TOTAL: Saturday's triumph over Vanderbilt was Tennessee's third true road win of the season; the Vols previously logged victories at ETSU and Texas A&M.
That triples Tennessee's road wins from a season ago, when the Vols' lone victory on the road came at Mississippi State (Jan. 16, 2016). Tennessee has six more road games on its schedule.
WILLIAMS A ROAD WARRIOR: True freshman forward Grant Williams is averaging 10.0 points, 7.7 rebounds and 4.7 blocks in Tennessee's true road wins this season (ETSU, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt). In those games, the Charlotte, North Carolina, native has a 1.5 assist/turnover ratio and is shooting 50 percent from the field.
In UT's five SEC games, Williams leads the Vols in rebounds (6.4 rpg) and blocks (3.0 bpg) while ranking second on the squad in scoring (12.0 ppg).
UP NEXT: Tennessee arrived back in Knoxville early Sunday and will have to hit the road again on Monday, traveling to Oxford, Mississippi, for a Tuesday-night clash with Ole Miss. Tipoff is set for 9:05 p.m. ET / 8:05 p.m. CT on the SEC Network.
