The Tennessee Volunteers put on a defensive clinic Tuesday night, crushing Western Carolina 84-36 at Food City Center in front of 16,866 fans. The victory improved the No. 12 Vols to 8-3 on the season.
Chaz Lanier led all scorers with 19 points on 8-of-19 shooting, including three 3-pointers, while sophomore guard Jordan Gainey provided a spark off the bench with 17 points. Felix Okpara controlled the paint with 9 points and 9 rebounds, helping Tennessee establish a commanding 48-37 rebounding advantage.
The Vols’ suffocating defense forced Western Carolina into one of their worst offensive performances of the season. The Catamounts shot a miserable 21.9% from the field and connected on just 6 of 39 attempts from beyond the arc. Tennessee’s defensive pressure generated 32 points off turnovers while holding Western Carolina scoreless in transition.
Tennessee’s bench played a crucial role in the victory, outscoring Western Carolina’s reserves 37-14. The Vols dominated inside, scoring 44 points in the paint compared to just 14 for the Catamounts.
Veteran point guard Zakai Zeigler orchestrated the offense with 10 points and 9 assists, consistently finding open teammates in transition and helping Tennessee shoot a solid 46.4% from the field.
The win marks Tennessee’s final non-conference home game before beginning SEC play. The Vols will look to carry this momentum into their upcoming conference schedule, where they’re expected to compete for the SEC title.
For Western Carolina (3-8), Bernard Pelote led the effort with 10 rebounds, but the Catamounts never found any offensive rhythm against Tennessee’s swarming defense.
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