University of Tennessee Athletics
Last UT-American game a memorable one
March 18, 2008 | Men's Basketball
Tennessee???s Friday afternoon contest with American University in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament will be only the second contest ever between the two programs.
The first one, though, was a memorable one.
It was the first round of the 1981 Volunteer Classic, held in storied Stokely Athletic Center. Dale Ellis paced the Vols with 25 points, but it was the last of Gary Carter???s 22 points that live on Tennessee basketball history.
The game featured five ties and six lead changes, and neither team ever led by more than five points. Both teams shot remarkably well. The Vols finished 61 percent from the field and the Eagles made 65 percent of their attempts.
Tennessee squandered its 32-28 halftime lead early in the second period, but pulled ahead 45-43 on a Tyrone Beaman layup with 10:30 to play in the game. Three minutes later, American claimed its first lead of the second half, 53-51, when Gordon Austin stole a Tennessee pass and converted on the offensive end.
UT came back to tie the game at 57 on another Ellis bucket from the baseline, but the Vols??? Willie Burton fouled Austin shooting with 2:30 to play, sending him to the line for two. He would make one for a 58-57 American lead.
The final two minutes were slow to tick away thanks to three fouls and four timeouts called. The Tennessee defense forced a five-second call to gain its final possession, and huddled with 20 seconds remaining to draw up a game-winning play.
The play was designed to use Ellis as a decoy and bring Carter open at the top of the key. It worked to perfection, except that Carter missed the shot and had to foul with just three seconds to play. American was not in the bonus, so Tennessee called timeout again to set up its defense.
Whatever was drawn up in the huddle worked, because American???s Mark Nickens couldn???t find an open man in the backcourt. He launched a line drive to half court for Ed Sloane. Carter intercepted the pass and threw up a shot from the sideline about forty feet from the basket.
It found nothing but the bottom of the net. Carter made up for his missed jumper with a hustling steal and a prayer answered. Tennessee pulled out a stunning victory, 59-58.
???I couldn???t hesitate and I couldn???t take time to think about it,??? Carter told the Knoxville News-Sentinel after the game. ???I just had to shoot. If I had thought about it, I probably would have missed it or time would have run out.???
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