University of Tennessee Athletics
University of Tennessee
1-0
UNC Asheville
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Tennessee Opens Barnes Era With 82-78 Win
November 13, 2015 | Men's Basketball
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By Brian Rice
UTSports.com
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Fresh faces abounded all over Thompson-Boling Arena on Friday night, but it was a couple of familiar faces that led Tennessee to a season-opening win over UNC Asheville to kick off the Rick Barnes era.
Career-high For Punter Highlights Night
Kevin Punter Jr. scored 18 points on two occasions last season, establishing a career high. Friday night, he opened his senior season by hitting that number early in the second half and never looking back.
Punter finished with 31 points on 10-of-14 shooting, 3-of-6 from 3-point range.
Rick Barnes told Punter when he arrived at Tennessee that not only would he run the point for this team, he would be relied on to score the basketball. Punter responded with work in the gym to make that a reality.
"I've been working on that all summer," Punter said. "Ever since Coach took the job, I shoot every day, workout everyday. In moments like this, I'm supposed to make shots."
He made shots with a newly-adjusted shot. Barnes and his staff completely remade the shooting mechanics of the senior, a project that many players on his position may not have been willing to undertake. But Punter isn't many players. After initial misgivings, he quickly saw the payoff.
"At first I didn't want to do it," he said. "But I buckled down and decided to give it a try, and it ended up working out."
Kevin Punter Jr. scored a career-high 31 points and Robert Hubbs III chipped in 18 as the Volunteers defeated the Bulldogs, 82-78. Armani Moore scored 12 and pulled down a team-high eight rebounds.
"Let's give Asheville credit, we knew they were going to come in and do a good job," Barnes said. "They are well coached. Nick [McDevitt] does a great job. We are always going to be concerned with a team that plays high-low and puts the ball inside. Until we can prove we can guard somebody, it is going to happen."
Tennessee won the opening tip and sprinted out to an early 7-0 lead. But the Bulldogs fought back in a first half that saw four lead changes and seven ties.
The Vols led by just a point, 34-33, at halftime. Punter had UT's first five points of the game, a driving layup off of a steal and a 3-pointer from the top of the key on the next possession. His 13 points led all scorers in the first half.
Tennessee shot 50 percent in the first half and had just three turnovers, but a 23-13 edge on the boards kept UNC-Asheville within a point.
UNC Asheville scored the first points of the second half, but Tennessee responded with a 10-2 run to seize the early momentum. Hubbs answered the Bulldog basket with a dunk, followed by a steal and slam by Punter. 3-pointers from Punter sandwiched the only UNCA score of the run.
The Vols looked to be on cruise control and led by as many as 10, but the Bulldogs went on an 8-0 before forward Will Weeks tied the game with a drive to the hoop just after the clock crossed 7:00 to go. A layup form Hubbs tied the game back up, setting up a back-and-forth battle down the stretch.
Weeks, who scored a team-high 25, gave UNC Asheville the lead, 71-69 with 2:47 to go. Moore went right back down the court to tie with a jumper, draw a foul and put the Vols back on top on the ensuing free throw.
Weeks would tie the game back up with a free throw, but a 6-0 UT run highlighted by a pair of baskets from Punter swung the momentum, and the game, back to the Volunteers. Hubbs had a huge block on the defensive end to key the second of those baskets, but went down on the play with a cramp and did not return.
The Vols hit four free throws over the final 37 seconds and McGee came up with a leaping steal at midcourt after the final of those to seal the win.
"The good thing about it from our point of view is we were in the game at the end," Barnes said. I felt the last couple of minutes was the first time we really got competitive on the defensive end. That is what we have talked about since the other day. We are just too tentative on the defensive end. When the game was on the line, it could go either way, we made some plays. We had a little bit more pop to it."
Tennessee won its first season-opener since 2012, but it was the 14th-consecutive opening win for Barnes. The Volunteers have won 25-straight home openers and are now 27-2 all-time in opening games at Thompson-Boling Arena.
The Volunteers return to action on Monday night at Georgia Tech for a 7:00 p.m. tipoff on ESPNU.
