The No.14 Tennessee Volunteers came into Saturday’s game against the South Carolina Gamecocks needing a win to stay in contention of an outright SEC regular season championship. Before their wins on Jan. 31 against the Gators at home and on Thursday against LSU in Baton Rouge, La., the Vols were facing a two-game losing streak, which included their first loss at Thompson-Boling Arena this season to the Vanderbilt Commodores.
The Gamecocks were coming off a week of rest and two straight wins against SEC opponents, including an upset of then-No.1 Kentucky. However, the boys from Rocky Top were ready for the challenge.
Tennessee defeated the Gamecocks 79-53, led by senior Wayne Chism’s career-high 30 points. Sophomore Scotty Hopson and senior Bobby Maze also scored in double figures, contributing 11 points each.
“That was my first time getting to 3-0. I always got stopped at 26, but I finally got it,” Chism said when asked about passing his previous single-game high of 26 points.
Despite Chism’s work on offense, it was Maze’s defense that played a big role in the Vols’ win on Saturday. South Carolina point guard Devan Downey entered the game averaging 22.9 points per contest and was the Vols’ main focus, said UT head basketball coach Bruce Pearl.
“Bobby has been very focused against the best point guards on the schedule, and Bobby felt like he could go in there and score and attack with pressure,” Pearl said. “And we did attack with pressure.”
When asked about his matchup, Maze admitted that he enjoys playing “big-name guards.”
“I watch them a lot (on TV), and I hear so much about them,” Maze said. “I felt coming in that I was one of the guys that should be mentioned with them, so when I get a chance to play against those guys, I rise up to the occasion.”
Maze will have his hands full once again, as he faces two top point guards in hostile environments next week. Tuesday, the Vols travel to Nashville to face Vanderbilt and Jermaine Beal, who scored a season-high 25 points against the Vols in a road victory at Thompson-Boling Arena.
The Vols continue their road trip against Kentucky and freshman phenom John Wall at Rupp Arena. The two games are critical for Tennessee if they hope to win the SEC regular season championship, as UT trails Kentucky for the best record in the SEC and is tied with Vanderbilt.
The Vols may be without sophomore guard Cameron Tatum, who was helped off the court just before halftime. Tatum was seen in serious pain and grabbing his ankle following a bad fall fighting for a loose ball.
“It didn’t look good,” Pearl said. “That ankle came down pretty severely. He’s going to go up there and get the X-rays, and we’ll just have to see. I think Cameron was playing very well. He had been really efficient with his play.”
Junior Brian Williams was reinstated on Saturday after a suspension resulting from a Jan. 1 situation involving four Vols tabbed with drug and weapons charges. Williams didn’t play against South Carolina, and Pearl said he isn’t sure about the junior’s role in upcoming games.
“We’ll go from here,” Pearl said. “We’ll work him in, but I don’t think the rotation is going to change.”
The Vols are 8-2 since the suspension of Williams, Tatum, Melvin Goins and Tyler Smith.
“We don’t drop off when we go to our bench, and I think that’s really important,” Pearl said.
