University of Tennessee Athletics
University of Tennessee
9-9, 2-4SEC
Vanderbilt
11-7, 3-3SEC
Hot-Shooting Commodores Down Vols, 88-74
January 20, 2016 | Men's Basketball
Jan. 20, 2016
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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee was unable to counter a barrage of 3-pointers from Vanderbilt as the Commodores picked up an 88-74 victory over the Volunteers at Thompson-Boling Arena Wednesday.
Despite Vanderbilt's significant height advantage, with three players standing 7-foot or taller, the Vols dominated the points in the paint, 34-18. The difference came beyond the arc, as the Commodores hit 13 3-pointers, to just four for the Volunteers.
10 of those 3-pointers for Vanderbilt came in the first half, as it built a 44-23 halftime advantage. UT was held without a 3-pointer until Kevin Punter Jr. hit his first with 8:04 remaining in the second half.
Tennessee did not stop fighting in the second half and rallied to outscore Vanderbilt, 51-44, in the second period.
Punter led all scorers with 26 points, including making 3-of-5 from 3-point range and shooting a perfect 5-of-5 at the free throw stripe. Armani Moore finished with 14 points, while Robert Hubbs III added 10.
Wade Baldwin IV led VU with 25 points. Matthew Fisher-Davis scored 18, with all of his points coming on six 3-pointers.
Tennessee will play host to #24 South Carolina (17-1) at Thompson-Boling Arena on Saturday at noon in a game that can be seen on the SEC Network.
THE SERIES: The game was the 189th all-time meeting between the in-state foes, a series Tennessee leads 116-73. It is the second-longest series in Tennessee basketball history (trailing the 218 all-time meetings between the Vols and Kentucky).
The win was just the 19th for Vanderbilt all-time in Knoxville and marked the first time VU has won back-to-back games at Thompson-Boling Arena since the 1992-93 and 1993-94 seasons.
PUNTER IN DOUBLE-FIGURES AGAIN: Punter's team-best 26 points gave the senior his 17th game this season in double-figures and 35th in his 50 career games with the Vols.
It was Punter's 13th game this season with 20-plus points after never reaching that plateau in his first season as a Vol in 2014-15.
TRAILING AT HALF: For the first time in SEC play (six games), the Vols trailed at halftime, as they were behind, 44-23, at intermission.
