Santiago Vescovi

Class:
Senior
Position:
G
Height:
6-3
Weight:
192
Hometown:
Montevideo, Uruguay
High School:
NBA Global Academy (Canberra, Australia)
Prev School:
NBA Global Academy (Canberra, Australia)
Player Shop:
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CAREER HIGHS

Points: 23 (3x) // last vs. Florida, 1/26/22
Rebounds: 11 // at Arkansas, 2/19/22
Assists: 8 (3x) // last vs. UNC Greensboro, 12/11/21
Steals: 5 (2x) // last vs. Georgia, 1/25/23
Blocks: 2 (2x) // last vs. Auburn, 2/26/22
Field Goals: 8 (4x) // last vs. Kansas, 11/22/23
3-Pointers: 6 (4x) // last vs. Longwood, 3/17/22
Free Throws: 8 (2x) // last vs. Purdue, 11/21/23
Minutes: 41:39 // vs. Ole Miss, 1/5/22

HONORS

2024 Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook Preseason Fourth Team All-American
2024 Preseason First-Team All-SEC acclaim (Coaches), (Media)
2024 Naismith Trophy Preseason Watch List
2024 Wooden Award Preseason Watch List
2024 Jerry West SG of the Year Preseason Watch List
2023-24 Winter SEC Academic Honor Roll
2023 All-SEC First Team (Coaches)
2023 USBWA All-District IV Team
2023 NABC Second Team All-District 20
2022-23 NABC Honors Court
2022-23 Winter SEC Academic Honor Roll
2022 Battle 4 Atlantis MVP
2022 Battle 4 Atlantis All-Tournament Team
SEC Player of the Week (Nov. 28, 2022)
2023 Jerry West SG of the Year Midseason Watch List
2023 Naismith Trophy Preseason Watch List
2023 Wooden Award Preseason Watch List
2023 Jerry West Award Watch List
2023 Preseason First-Team All-SEC selection (Coaches), (Media)
2022 All-SEC First Team (Coaches)
2022 USBWA All-District IV Team
2022 NABC Second Team All-District 20
2022 CoSIDA Academic All-District Team
2022 SEC All-Tournament Team
2021-22 NABC Honors Court
2020-21 Winter SEC Academic Honor Roll
2021 Hall of Fame Tip-Off All-Tournament Team

CAREER

Set the program record for steals (212) and starts (128), breaking the latter mark by 16.
The only player in program history to total 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 400 assists and 150 steals in a career.
Appeared in 149 of 153 games and played 4,432 minutes in his five-year career, both the second-most in Tennessee history, respectively trailing only John Fulkerson and Allan Houston.
Finished eighth in SEC history with 325 made 3-pointers, good for the third-most ever by a Volunteer behind only Chris Lofton and Allan Houston.
Ended his career fourth at Tennessee in wins with 106 and made 3-pointers per game (min. 50 3PM) with 2.18, as well as eighth in assists with 453.
Capped his career No. 10 at Tennessee in both assist-to-turnover ratio (min. 2.0 APG & 40 GP) with a 1.75 mark and 3-point percentage (min. 200 3PA) with a 37.2 clip.
Placed No. 11 among Volunteers at the conclusion of his career in free-throw percentage (min. 300 FTA) with a 79.8 clip and No. 13 in steals per game with a 1.42 ledger.
Registered 1,540 points to rank No. 18 on Tennessee’s all-time scoring list.
Scored in double figures 81 times as a Volunteer, including notching 10 20-point performances.
In NCAA Tournament play, finished second all-time at Tennessee in steals (15), third in made 3-pointers (20), co-third in appearances (nine), co-third in wins appeared in (five), fourth in 3-point percentage (min. 20 3PA; 41.7) and co-fifth in assists (25).
Made a 3-pointer in 48 straight games during the 2021-22 and 2022-23 season, the fourth-longest streak in recorded SEC history.
Shares the school record for made 3-pointers in an NCAA Tournament affair with six.
The only SEC player in the last 30 seasons (1994-2024) to record at least 220 points, 125 rebounds, 85 assists, 40 made 3-pointers and 35 steals in three consecutive seasons.

2023-24 - FIFTH YEAR

Game-by-Game Statistics
VIDEO: Senior Reflections
Appeared in 35 of 36 games, missing one due to illness, and ranked fourth on the team with 34 starts.
Averaged 6.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.1 steals in 25.2 minutes per game, as well as shot 79.6 percent from the line, third-best on the team.
Ranked second on the team in assists, third in steals, third in free-throw percentage, co-third in made 3-pointers (43) and fourth in minutes average.
Led or co-led the Volunteers in steals nine times, third-most on the team, and assists six times, second-most on the team, as well as in rebounding twice, minutes twice and scoring once.
Recorded 10 double-digit point totals, co-fifth-most on the team, and surpassed 20 once.
Had multiple assists 28 times, with three-plus in 14 games and five-plus in four outings, all second-most on the team.
Pulled down at least five rebounds on nine occasions, with seven-plus thrice, plus ranked third on the team in multiple-steal (13) and three-steal (three) showings.
Had the flu and did not play in the Sweet 16 win over No. 11 Creighton (3/29/24), just the fourth missed game of his career.
Co-led all players with three steals in the NCAA Tournament second-round triumph over Texas (3/23/24), giving him 212 as a Volunteer to break the school's all-time record.
Posted 12 points on 4-of-5 3-point shooting versus Vanderbilt (2/17/24) to become the 19th Tennessee player to eclipse 1,500 career points, plus tied a season high with five assists.
Scored 11 points, his third straight double-figure outing, in the triumph at No. 10/8 Kentucky (2/3/24) and shot 3-of-4 from long range.
Recorded 10 points and five assists against Alabama (1/20/24), as well as passed John Jenkins for ninth place on the SEC's all-time made 3-pointers list (306).
Totaled 12 points, seven rebounds and five assists against Tarleton State (12/21/23), as well as hit two 3-pointers to give him 297 as a collegian, good for top-10 in SEC history.
Put up 12 points, a game- and season-best nine rebounds, three assists, two steals and zero turnovers in the win against No. 20 Illinois (12/9/23).
Led Tennessee with 21 points on an 8-for-16 shooting effort, including a 5-for-11 ledger from 3-point range while adding four rebounds and three assists versus top-ranked Kansas (11/22/23) at the Maui Invitational.
Logged 11 points, four assists and three rebounds while connecting on 3-of-6 shots from 3-point range in Tennessee's win over Wofford (11/14/23)
Announced on April 18, 2023, that he was returning to Tennessee for a fifth season of eligibility.

2022-23 - SENIOR

Game-by-Game Statistics
VIDEO: 2023 Player Feature
Finished the season as Tennessee's leader in scoring (12.5 ppg), minutes played (33.0 mpg), 3-pointers made (91) and attempted (246) and total steals (60).
For the season, he shot .370 from 3-point range and owned a 2.0 assist-to-turnover ratio.
Dished out more than 100 assists in each of his last two seasons.
Led the Vols in scoring 12 times, rebounding seven times, assists 13 times and steals 15 times.
Scored nine points and tied for the team lead in both rebounds (7) and assists (4) during Tennessee's Sweet Sixteen loss to Florida Atlantic (3/23/23).
Controlled the game during a savvy performance against Duke (3/18/23), finishing with 14 points—including four 3-point makes—five rebounds, five assists and two steals in 38 minutes while helping the Vols advance to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time in his career.
Was Tennessee's top scorer in the team's two SEC Tournament games, averaging 16.0 points while shooting 8-of-19 (.421) from 3-point range; after scoring 15 in the win over Ole Miss (3/9/23), he drained five triples during a 17-point effort against Missouri (3/10/23).
For the second straight season, he finished SEC regular-season play as the league leader in 3-point percentage, shooting .387 (46 of 119).
During SEC play, he led the Vols in scoring (13.3 ppg), 3-point percentage (.387), field-goals made (77) and 3-pointers made (46).
Was Tennessee's top performer at Auburn (3/4/23) in the regular-season finale, hitting five 3-pointers to finish with a team-high 21 points and four assists while playing 38:32.
Scored 14 points on three made threes and had six rebounds and five assists on Senior Day against Arkansas (2/28/23), making multiple threes for the sixth time in seven games.
Despite nearly missing the game at Texas A&M (2/21/23) due to illness, he gutted out a team-high 36 minutes and came up just short of a triple-double with 14 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists while also grabbing three steals; it was his the first double-double of his career.
Was Tennessee's top scorer at Kentucky (2/18/23), dropping 17 points on 7-for-13 shooting.
Shared team-high scoring honors as the Vols toppled No. 1-ranked Alabama (2/15/23), finishing with 15 points, eight rebounds and three steals.
Made four threes for the second straight game, pouring in 16 points against Missouri (2/11/23) on 4-for-9 shooting from 3-point range.
Scored a team-high 14 points at Vanderbilt (2/8/23) with four made threes—tied for an SEC-high this season.
Converted a clutch 4-point play with 2:33 remaining to propel Tennessee to the win over No. 25 Auburn (2/4/23).
Nearly recorded a double-double for the second straight game while tying for the team lead in rebounding for a second straight outing, scoring 12 points and pulling down eight rebounds in the win over No. 10 Texas (1/28/23).
Despite attempting a season-low four shots—making three—made an all-around impact against Georgia (1/25/23) with eight points, seven rebounds, a career-high-tying five steals and four assists.
Was limited due to foul trouble in the first half, but scored a team-high 15 points—12 in the second half—against Vanderbilt (1/10/23) on 6-for-9 shooting with six rebounds.
Made four threes—his third straight game of three or more made 3-pointers—and scored a team-high 14 points against Mississippi State (1/3/23), all in the first half.
Led the Vols with a season-high 22 points at Ole Miss (12/28/22) in a season-high 37 minutes. Made a season-high five 2-point field goals in addition to three made 3-pointers.
Became the 10th Vol in program history to make five or more threes in a game without a miss, going 5-for-5 from beyond the arc against Austin Peay (12/21/22)—scoring 18 total points along with five assists and three steals.
Eclipsed the career 1,000-point milestone at No. 9 Arizona (12/17/22), becoming the 54th Vol in program history to reach the mark.
Returned to the starting lineup against No. 13 Maryland (12/11/22) after missing Tennessee’s previous two games with a left (shooting) shoulder sprain and recorded seven points, seven rebounds, three assists and three steals.
Sat out the Alcorn State game (12/4/22) due to a shoulder sprain; it was the first DNP of his career, snapping a streak of 88 consecutive appearances and 45 straight starts.
Hit four threes and had a team-high 16 points against McNeese State (11/30/22) along with five rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Named Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament MVP and SEC Player of the Week after averaging 13.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists at the event.
Exploded for a 20-point, six-rebound performance in the Battle 4 Atlantis championship game vs. No. 3 Kansas (11/25/22) in which he made a season-high five 3-pointers.
Had a game-high five assists with seven points and four rebounds while also hitting the go-ahead 3-pointer in overtime during the win over USC (11/24/22).
Scored 13 points—all in the second half—during the win over Butler (11/23/22) with three straight made 3-pointers.
Posted an eight-point, six-rebound, three-assist, three steal performance against Florida Gulf Coast (11/16/22), connecting on multiple 3-pointers for the third straight game.
Pulled down a game-high eight rebounds in the season-opening win over Tennessee Tech (11/7/22) to go along with nine points, five assists and three steals.

SUMMER 2022

Competed with the Uruguayan national team during 2023 FIBA World Cup Americas qualifying rounds.
Scored eight points on 3-for-6 shooting, with a pair of steals, in Uruguay's 78-70 win over Puerto Rico on Aug. 29.
In Uruguay's loss to the United States on Aug. 25, he started, played a team-high 29:47 and finished with 10 points and three assists while shooting 3 of 6 from 3-point range.

2021-22 - JUNIOR

Game-by-Game Statistics
VIDEO: 2022 Player Feature
Was the only Vol to start all 35 games and finished the season as Tennessee's leader in minutes played (31.2 mpg) and 3-point percentage (.403), while finishing second in scoring (13.3 ppg) and assists (3.2 apg).
Led the Vols in scoring a team-high 13 times as well as leading the team in steals 12 times, assists nine times and rebounds six times.
Registered double-figure scoring in 28 of Tennessee's 35 games.
Over the course of the season, made 102 total 3-pointers—the fourth-most made threes by a Vol in a single season. Made multiple threes in 30 of Tennessee's 35 games.
All-SEC performer finished the SEC regular season slate as the league’s statistical 3-point leader—shooting a conference-leading 44.5 percent from beyond the arc (57-for-128) and making a SEC-leading 3.2 threes per game.
Also averaged 14.3 points and 3.0 assists per game in conference, scoring in double figures in all but one game.
Made an NCAA Tournament program record six 3-pointers against Longwood (3/17/22), scoring 18 points while dishing out a team-high seven assists and recording a career-high-tying four steals.
Averaged 12.0 points per game and made eight total 3-pointers at the SEC Tournament; named to the SEC All-Tournament Team.
Had a team-high-tying 15 points in the win over #14 Arkansas (3/5/22), also recording four assists and two steals
Scored a team-high 14 points in the win over #3 Auburn (2/26/22), going a perfect 6-for-6 at the free-throw line down the stretch and also grabbing five rebounds.
Tallied 14 points on 4-for-6 shooting from beyond the arc at Missouri (2/22/22).
Had a career-high 11 rebounds at Arkansas, also scoring seven points (2/19/22).
Scored a game-high 18 points in the win over #4 Kentucky (2/15/22), making two threes and grabbing four rebounds.
In Tennessee's win at Mississippi State (2/9/22), stuffed the stat sheet with 11 points, seven assists and five rebounds in 37 minutes.
Shot 4-for-8 from beyond the arc against Texas A&M (2/1/22), finishing with 13 points in the win.
Tied his career high with 23 points against Florida (1/26/22), making five threes.
Recorded a team-high 16 points, a team-high-tying six rebounds and five assists in the win over No. 13 LSU (1/22/22).
Led the Vols with 14 points at Vanderbilt (1/18/22), also pulling down six rebounds.
Tied a season-high with seven made field goals at Kentucky (1/15/22), scoring 20 points on 7-for-10 shooting.
Recorded team-highs in points (14) and assists (5) in the win over South Carolina (1/11/22).
Tallied 14 points, five rebounds and three assists at LSU (1/8/22).
Scored 17 points—including 12 in the last four minutes and overtime—while also recording six rebounds and five assists against Ole Miss (1/5/22).
Scored 15 points in the win over #6 Arizona (12/22/21), hitting three 3-pointers and also grabbing five rebounds.
Tied career highs in assists (8) and steals (4) against UNC Greensboro (12/11/21), also scoring 10 points and having no turnovers.
Shot a perfect 5-for-5 from the field—including 3-for-3 from 3-point range—and scored 13 points in just 23 minutes at Colorado (12/4/21).
Stuffed the stat sheet with 13 points, a team-high seven rebounds and a team-high seven assists against Tennessee Tech (11/26/21).
Named to the 2021 Hall of Fame Tip-Off All-Tournament Team after averaging 20.0 points, 7.5 rebounds and hitting seven total 3-pointers in two games at Mohegan Sun.
Scored 17 points and grabbed a career-high nine rebounds during Tennessee's win over North Carolina (11/21/21).
Tied his career high with 23 points against Villanova (11/20/21), also tying for the team lead in rebounds (6) and steals (3).
Was the catalyst for Tennessee's record-breaking 3-point performance (17 makes as a team) during the season-opener against UT Martin (11/9/21), as he tied his career-high with six triples to highlight his 20-point, five-rebound, two-assist effort.
Spent the 2021-22 academic year enrolled in Tennessee Athletics' VOLeaders Academy leadership curriculum, culminating in a summer trip to Rwanda.

SUMMER 2021

Earned a spot on Uruguay's 12-man Olympic qualifying team, which contended for a spot in the Tokyo Olympics field through competing in the Victoria FIBA Qualifying Tournament in Victoria, Canada, in July.
Averaged 10.5 points in 23.0 minutes per game and shot .625 from 3-point range during Uruguay's two qualifying games against Turkey and Czech Republic.

2020-21 - SOPHOMORE

Game-by-Game Statistics
Appeared in all 27 games with 23 starts and led the team in minutes (29.2 mpg) assists (3.1 apg) and 3-pointers made (2.0) per game.
His 1.6 assist/turnover ratio also led the Vols and was second-best among all players in the SEC.
Ranked second on the team in 3-point percentage (.373) and free-throw percentage (.816).
Led the team in assists 10 times, steals seven times and scoring four times.
Made three or more 3-pointers in 11 different games and had a team-high 53 makes from beyond the arc.
Was a perfect 16 for 16 at the free-throw line in the final four minutes of games.
Drew six charges on the year, which was third-most on the team.
Scored 11 points in his NCAA Tournament debut against Oregon State (3/19/21).
Scored a team-high 14 points and dished out five assists in the SEC Tournament quarterfinal win over Florida (3/12/21).
Totaled 19 points, six rebounds, three assists and a career-high eight free throws in the home victory over Georgia (2/10/21).
Tallied eight points, a season-high seven rebounds and a career-high four steals vs. Mississippi State (1/26/21).
Poured in a career-high 23 points on a career-high eight made field goals and a career-high-tying six made 3-pointers to help lead Tennessee to a road triumph over Texas A&M (1/9/21).
Scored a game-high 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting in the road win over 12th-ranked Missouri (12/30/20).
Dished off a career-high-tying eight assists and scored nine points in Tennessee's victory over USC Upstate (12/23/20).
Logged 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists in the win against Saint Joseph's (12/21/20).
Tallied a game-high five assists, shared the team lead in scoring with 11 points and shot 3-of-4 from 3-point range in Tennessee's season-opening win over Colorado (12/8/20).

2019-20 - FRESHMAN

Game-by-Game Statistics
Midyear enrollee arrived in Knoxville on Dec. 28, 2019, and received official clearance to compete on Jan. 3, 2020.
Started in all 19 contests following his arrival, averaging 10.7 points, 3.7 assists and 3.3 rebounds in 30.3 minutes per game.
His 3.7 assists per game in SEC play ranked fifth in the league; he also ranked 10th in the SEC during conference play with 1.9 3-point makes per game.
Averaged a team-best 1.9 3-point makes per game, draining at least one trey in all but two games in which he appeared.
Shot .824 from the free-throw line overall and .840 in SEC games.
Led the Vols in assists seven times and scoring four times.
Was surprised by his parents and sister, who traveled from Uruguay to Knoxville prior to UT's home triumph over Florida (2/29/20); in that contest, he scored 11 points on 3-of-5 shooting from the field while dishing off four assists.
Continued his hot shooting streak by pouring in 14 points and adding seven assists to go along with two steals in UT's home win over Vanderbilt (2/18/20).
Scored a season-high 20 points while dishing out a season-high eight assists in the home win over Arkansas (2/11/20.)
At home vs. 15th-ranked Kentucky (2/8/20), he scored a game-high-tying 18 points, knocking down four attempts from 3-point range.
Recorded then-season-highs in rebounds (8) and steals (3) in the Vols' come-from-behind win at Alabama (2/4/20).
Scored 16 points on a season-high-tying six made field goals at Mississippi State (2/1/20).
Against Texas A&M (1/28/20), he scored 10 points, dished off six assists and recorded two steals in a season-high 37 minutes of action.
Scored nine points, dished off three assists, and had five rebounds in 32 minutes at third-ranked Kansas (1/25/20).
Scored 13 points and dished out a team-high three assists in UT's home win over South Carolina (1/11/20).
Scored all 12 of his points in the final 5:20 of Tennessee's win at Missouri (1/7/20), knocking down two 3-pointers and four of his five free-throw attempts.
His six 3-pointers vs. LSU were the most makes ever by a Vol in his debut game.
Scored a game-high tying 18 points and earned a start in his collegiate debut against LSU (1/4/20).

PREVIOUS SCHOOL

From July-Dec. of 2019, he attended The NBA Global Academy, an elite basketball training center at Basketball Australia's Centre of Excellence at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra, Australia.
Prior to that, he earned placement at the NBA Academy Latin America in Mexico City, Mexico, when it first opened in the winter of 2018.
The NBA Academy initiative exposes elite prospects to NBA-level coaching, facilities and competition and provides a global framework for them to maximize their success. Up to twelve elite student-athletes attend The NBA Global Academy in Canberra, each year, developing under the supervision of NBA-trained personnel.
Through local partnerships, every NBA Academy prospect is a full-time student-athlete and receives a full scholarship to attend the academy and a local public or private school.
Led The NBA Global Academy to a championship at the 2019 NBA Academy Games in July. Then 17 years old, he led the team in scoring in both the semifinal and title game.
Also starred at the NBA G League International Challenge in Uruguay--competing against players with NBA experience, such as Greg Monroe, Paul Zipser and Josh Huestis--and the Basketball Without Borders Global Camp during the 2019 NBA All-Star Weekend in Charlotte.
Earned All-Star honors at the three-day 2019 BWB Global Camp in Atlanta.
Also was named the MVP of the 2019 Skill Factory Tournament of Champions in Atlanta after totaling 29 points, seven assists and six rebounds in the championship game.

PERSONAL

Full name is Santiago Vescovi
Name pronounced: sahn-tee-AH-go VESS-co-vee
Born Sept. 14, 2001, in Montevideo, Uruguay
Son of Laura Vannet and Pablo Vescovi
His grandfather, Daniel Vannet, was a star basketball player in Uruguay, and Vescovi previously wore jersey No. 9 in his honor.
Speaks Spanish, Portuguese and English.
Academic Major: Business Management & Entrepreneurship
Recipient of the Bertelkamp Basketball Scholarship Endowment Fund and the Richard & Melba Jackson Athletic Scholarship Endowment
Graduated from Tennessee in December 2023 with a bachelor's degree in management.