Dec. 3, 2017
Final Stats | Quotes | Notes | Photo Gallery
THE FLATS – Sophomore guard Lamonte Turner scored 24 points, including three of the team’s eight 3-pointers, to lead Tennessee to a 77-70 win over Georgia Tech on Sunday at McCamish Pavilion.
Turner was 6-for-12 from the field, 3-for-8 on 3-pointers and 9-for-9 from the line. He added three rebounds and two assists for the Volunteers (6-1), who won their third straight game. Grant Williams was an inside force with 11 points, six rebounds and two blocked shots before fouling out. Admiral Schofield and Jordan Bowden each scored 10.
Georgia Tech (4-3) was led by Ben Lammers with 17 points and nine rebounds. The Yellow Jackets got 15 points from Tadric Jackson, 14 points from Jose Alvarado and 12 points, eight rebounds and six assists from freshman Curtis Haywood II.
The game was tied at 17-17 a little less than midway through the first half before Tennessee (6-1) went on its 18-9 spurt, capped by a slam dunk by Grant Williams that gave the Vols a 35-26 lead with just 43 seconds to go in the opening period.
The nine-point deficit would be Georgia Tech’s largest of the night, as the Yellow Jackets (4-3) never trailed by more than eight points in the second half. Tech pulled within one at 58-57 with 2:58 to go in the ballgame on a pair of free throws by true freshman Curtis Haywood II. However, UT went on an 11-1 run and made 17-of-19 free throws down the stretch to hold off the Jackets.
BIG PICTURE
Tennessee: The Volunteers continue to take down members of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Tennessee has an exhibition win over Clemson and regular-season victories over N.C. State and Georgia Tech. The Vols still have games remaining with North Carolina and Wake Forest before opening Southeastern Conference play.
Georgia Tech: The Yellow Jackets have lost two straight games, but hope to get sophomore Josh Okogie back soon from a dislocated finger. Okogie, last year’s leading scorer, has not played this season while serving a six-game NCAA suspension. Okogie had the splint removed from his hand this week, but may not play until the ACC season begins.
UP NEXT
Tennessee: The Volunteers play again at home on Saturday against Lipscomb, the first of a three-game homestand that includes North Carolina.
Georgia Tech: The Yellow Jackets travel to play Wofford on Wednesday in their first true road game of the season. (They opened against UCLA in China.) Georgia Tech will then take an 11-day break before returning next home on Dec. 17 against Florida A&M.An 18-9 Tennessee run over a 10-minute stretch late in the first half proved to be the difference in Georgia Tech’s 77-70 loss to the Vols on Sunday evening at McCamish Pavilion.
