University of Tennessee Athletics
University of Tennessee
4-0
Austin Peay
4-1
Vols Blast Austin Peay 98-65
November 27, 2000 | Men's Basketball
Coach Green's Postgame Comments
Tony Harris Postgame Interview
- Box Score (.pdf file)
- Box Score (.htm file)
- TotalCast Stats
The Volunteers (4-0), who moved up two places in the Top 25 this week, have won 32 straight non-conference home games.
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| Isiah Victor Photo: pmrphoto.com |
Harris led six Vols in double figures. Vincent Yarbrough scored 15 points, while Marcus Haislip had 14, Harris Walker 12 and Isiah Victor and Jon Higgins each had 11.
Austin Peay (4-1), the preseason pick to win the Ohio Valley Conference, has never beaten the Vols and lost for the first time this season after the school's best start in 15 years.
Trenton Hassell, who drew 20 NBA scouts to the game, finished with 22 points after playing 33 minutes. Nick Stapleton added eight points.
Hassell, a senior guard/forward from Clarksville, hit a 3 to end the Governors' 3 1/2-minute scoring drought to cut the Vols' lead to 70-42 with 14:06 left after he made a jumper and Stapleton hit a 3 to start the second half.
But the Governors just couldn't overcome Tennessee's depth and fast-paced scoring in the second half.
Austin Peay kept the game close in the beginning of the first half, cutting the Vols' lead to three at 28-25 on Kevin Easley's basket with 7:33 to go before halftime. It was the closest the Governors got since taking a 5-4 lead at 17:52.
But Tennessee pulled away with a 23-9 run to finish the first half with a 17-point lead.
Ahead 51-34 at halftime, Tennessee started the second half with a 12-3 run in the first four minutes to increase the lead to 23 points at 63-39.
Harris led the first-half charge with 15 points and nine assists. During the run he connected with Victor on three straight alley oops, the third made it 39-27 with 4:51 remaining.
Hassell, who was averaging 23.2 points per game, also had 15 points in the first half, shooting 6-of-11 from the floor. He made just two more baskets the rest of the way.
Hassell and Harris played against each other on AAU teams and met in Chicago this summer during the photo shoot for the Playboy preseason All-America team.
About 20 NBA scouts attended the game, the only matchup between Austin Peay and a current Top 25 team the rest of the regular season.
Tennessee is 36-2 all-time against teams from the Ohio Valley Conference.
