Kennedy Chandler scored 23 points with eight rebounds and six assists to lead No. 17 Tennessee past Missouri 80-61 Tuesday night in Columbia, Mo.
Santiago Vescovi scored 14 points and Victor Bailey Jr. added 11 for the Volunteers (20-7, 11-4 SEC), who have won nine of their last 11 games.
Tennessee rebounded nicely from its 58-48 loss at Arkansas on Saturday and resumed its quest for a coveted NCAA Tournament seed.
Javon Pickett scored 16 points and Kobe Brown and DaJuan Gordon added 12 apiece for the Tigers (10-18, 4-11), who have lost four consecutive games and nine of their last 11.
The Volunteers brought the SEC’s second-best scoring defense into the game and they put it to work. They held Missouri to 36.5 percent shooting overall and just 5-for-20 accuracy from 3-point range.
The Tigers shot well initially, with Gordon and Jarron Coleman hitting 3-point jumpers as the Tigers broke out to an 8-4 lead.
After missing 5-of-7 shots to start the game, the Volunteers went on an 8-0 run to move ahead 12-8. Zakai Zeigler scored two baskets and hit two free throws to get Tennessee started.
The teams continued to exchange runs, with the Tigers rallying with an 8-3 surge before the Volunteers countered with 13 unanswered points to seize control of the game with 28-17 lead.
Chandler attacked the basket for two layups and dunk to spark the rally.
The Tigers cut their deficit to 33-27 on Gordon’s 3-point jumper, but Vescovi answered with his own 3 to give Tennessee a 36-27 lead at the half.
Brown kept Missouri in the game with a pair of drives to the basket early in the second half. Then Jonas Aidoo converted a 3-point play to get Tennessee rolling on a 13-3 run that boosted their second-half lead to 54-36.
Missouri cut its deficit to 62-50 with run-out baskets by Brown and Gordon, but Vescovi knocked down a pair of 3-pointers to stem the tide.
–Field Level Media
