The University of Tennessee men’s basketball team extended its season-opening winning streak to 12 games with an impressive 82-64 victory over Middle Tennessee State on Monday night. This marks the third time in program history that Tennessee has achieved such a streak. Despite trailing at halftime for the first time this season, the top-ranked Volunteers (12-0) rallied in the second half to secure the win in front of a packed crowd of 20,706 at Food City Center.
Chaz Lanier, a fifth-year guard, led Tennessee with a stellar performance, scoring 23 points. Senior guard Zakai Zeigler recorded his second consecutive double-double, contributing 17 points and a career-high 15 assists, which ties for the fifth-most assists in program history.
The Volunteers started strong in the first half, scoring eight consecutive points in just 94 seconds to establish a 25-14 lead midway through the period. However, Middle Tennessee State (9-4) fought back with a 13-2 run, including seven quick points by redshirt senior guard Camryn Weston, to take a 32-30 lead with 3:06 remaining in the half. Tennessee briefly tied the game, but the Blue Raiders closed the half on a high note, going on a 21-6 run to claim a 40-34 advantage at intermission. Weston had an exceptional first half, scoring 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting.
Tennessee emerged from the locker room with renewed focus, scoring nine of the first 12 points in the second half to tie the game at 43 with 16:01 remaining. Although Middle Tennessee State managed to regain the lead three times, the Volunteers took control for good at the 12:21 mark, going ahead 52-51. A quick 9-0 burst pushed their lead to 57-51 with 11:09 left on the clock.
The Blue Raiders narrowed the gap to one point at 59-58 with just over nine minutes remaining, but Tennessee responded with a dominant defensive stretch. The Volunteers held Middle Tennessee State without a field goal for nearly six minutes and without any points for over three minutes. During this period, Tennessee launched a 14-2 run, extending their lead to 73-60 with under four minutes to play. The Volunteers continued to dominate, finishing the game with a 7-0 run in the final 1:37 to achieve their largest lead of the night at 18 points.
Lanier’s offensive performance stood out as he made five three-pointers, marking his fifth game with at least 22 points in the last eight outings. He has now led the team in scoring nine times this season. Zeigler’s playmaking was equally impressive, as he either scored or assisted on 19 of Tennessee’s 27 field goals. He also set season highs at the free-throw line, shooting 8-of-9. Zeigler’s 15 assists are the most by a Tennessee player since 1987 and the highest in SEC non-conference play since 2019.
Junior forward Felix Okpara contributed 12 points, all in the first half, where he was perfect from the field with four dunks. Senior guard Jordan Gainey added 10 points, six rebounds, and two blocks. Senior forward Igor Miličić Jr. led all players with 12 rebounds.
For Middle Tennessee State, Camryn Weston delivered a strong performance with a game-high 24 points and four steals. However, Weston’s shooting cooled off in the second half as he missed his last six attempts and scored just one point in the final 14 minutes. Junior guard Kamari Lands added 13 points for the Blue Raiders, shooting 5-of-10 from the field.
Tennessee’s defense was pivotal in the second half, limiting Middle Tennessee State to just 29.6% shooting, including 21.4% from beyond the arc. The Volunteers also excelled at the free-throw line, converting 78.3% of their attempts compared to the Blue Raiders’ 50% accuracy.
With a week-long break before their next game, Tennessee will conclude its non-conference schedule on December 31 against Norfolk State at Food City Center. The game will air live on SEC Network+.
Postgame Notes
- This game marked the 14th occasion in program history where Tennessee played as the No. 1-ranked team in the AP Poll. The Volunteers improved to 12-2 in such games, including an 11-1 record under head coach Rick Barnes.
- Tennessee remains one of only four undefeated teams in the country and the only school with unbeaten records in both men’s and women’s basketball this season.
- Rick Barnes has an impressive record against in-state opponents, going 34-6 during his tenure at Tennessee, including 17-1 in the last 18 matchups.
- Barnes improved to 14-0 against current Conference USA teams, making Middle Tennessee State the 204th Division I program he has defeated in his 38-year coaching career.
- Tennessee’s 12-0 start to the season is the third-best in program history, joining the 1922-23 team (14-0) and the 1915-16 team (12-0).
- The Volunteers’ current streak is their seventh in program history of at least 12 consecutive wins, and their first since a 19-game winning streak in the 2018-19 season.
Player Highlights
- Chaz Lanier has consistently been a scoring leader, recording his 20th career game with at least 20 points. This season alone, he has scored 22-plus points in five games.
- Zakai Zeigler’s 15-assist performance ties for the fifth-highest in Tennessee history. He now has 11 career double-doubles, including back-to-back performances for the first time.
- Igor Miličić Jr.’s 12-rebound game marked his fifth double-digit rebounding effort this season.
- Felix Okpara’s perfect shooting in the first half provided a significant offensive spark for the Volunteers.
Tennessee has dominated opponents this season, leading for the majority of game time and maintaining large scoring margins. The Volunteers have led by at least 18 points in 11 of their 12 games and have trailed for just over 43 minutes combined throughout the season. Their strong defensive and offensive execution continues to establish them as a top contender in college basketball.
