Make that three in a row.
The Tennessee Volunteers (21-9, 8-8 SEC) finished out their wild regular season as they outlasted the LSU Tigers 78-71 Saturday at Thompson-Boling Arena.
It was the Vols’ third consecutive win after dropping five straight conference games.
I think the big thing is that everybody is positive right now and on the same page, UT head coach Jerry Green said. We’ve got some wins and that gives us confidence.
Both Tennessee and LSU shot 51.9 percent from the floor (27-of-52) while also shooting very well from behind the arc Tennessee made 52 percent of its treys, LSU made 50 percent.
However, it was the Vols’ 10-man rotation that crushed the struggling Tigers (12-15, 2- 14). Five players saw at least 34 minutes for LSU while only seven players got in the game.
Probably the biggest difference was from our bench, Green said. We got some points off our bench and they didn’t. That may have been the difference.
The Vols’ bench outscored the LSU bench 32-0, a substantial difference. Subs Harris Walker, Jenis Grindstaff and Marcus Haislip each scored eight points. Walker also added five assists.
Vincent Yarbrough led Tennessee with 20 points, shooting 6-of-7 from 3-point range.
(Yarbrough) has the multi-patented offense down, Green said. Not only is he catching it and putting it back in … he’s shooting the 3 on the outside, plus he’s pulling up off the drive or taking it all the way to the hole.
When you do that, you become much, much harder to guard.
Tony Harris was the only other Vol in double figures with 12 points along with five assists. Every UT player who saw action scored.
LSU’s Collis Temple scorched the nets for a game-high 30 points behind 11-of-16 shooting, 6-of-9 from 3-point range. Ronald Dupree added 23 points for the Tigers.
The Vols also addressed some season-long concerns, at least temporarily. Tennessee outrebounded the Tigers 31-22. The advantage on the boards gave UT 13 second-chance points to LSU’s two. As a team, UT also dished out 20 assists and committed only 11 turnovers.
We’ve been working on patience and poise on offense, Green said. We feel like that, besides confidence, is the No. 1 thing we need to do.
Harris got the Vols on the board first with a 3 from the right wing. However, Dupree quickly answered with a 3 for the Tigers to even the score.
Prior to Jon Higgins’ 3 to give UT a 30-26 lead with 5:13 left, neither team could muster more than a three point advantage.
LSU then tied the game at 30 after back-to-back lay-ups in the lane by Temple but a lay-up by Ron Slay and a 3 by Yarbrough gave UT a 35-30 half-time lead.
This game may make him go pro, LSU coach John Brady said of Yarbrough’s accuracy. I hope everybody in the country saw it. Maybe he won’t be around next year and we won’t have to guard him.
Yarbrough opened the second half on fire, scoring UT’s first nine points, all courtesy of the long ball.
However, LSU answered with a Brian Beshara 3-pointer followed by eight straight points by Temple. Beshara hit another 3 to cut the UT lead to 46-44 with 14:22 remaining.
After Terrence Woods’ free throw made it 53-48, Dupree converted a three-point play followed by a 3-pointer to give LSU a one-point lead, 54-53.
Tennessee regained the lead on a 6-0 run but LSU fought back to make it 61-60 with 7:16 left.
Back-to-back 3-pointers by Yarbrough kept the Vols afloat until Torris Bright’s lay-up cut Tennessee’s lead to 72-71 with 3:17 left.
A 3 from Harris followed by foul shots closed the deal as LSU didn’t score again.
I can’t fault our team, Brady said. It was a good college basketball game. (Tennessee) made a few more plays than we did.
SENIOR SEND-OFF
Seniors Charles Hathaway, Isiah Victor and Harris were all honored prior to the tip-off Saturday with a framed replica of their jersey.
I want to emphasize how much I’ve enjoyed working with these seniors the past four years, Green said. It’s impressive how much they have contributed to our record.
This year’s senior class has won a school record 88 games while at Tennessee, along with four consecutive 20-win seasons.
Del Baker is also listed as a senior but is expected to return for a fifth year. He is taking a medical redshirt due to a broken foot.
