University of Tennessee Athletics
University of Tennessee
Lincoln Memorial (Exh.)
Vols Down Lincoln Memorial, 76-67
November 07, 2011 | Men's Basketball
Nov. 7, 2011
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BY JOSH PATE
UTSports.com
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Sophomore Trae Golden scored 22 points to lead Tennessee in a 76-67 victory over Lincoln Memorial Monday night in the Vols' final exhibition game of the preseason.
Golden was 4-of-9 from 3-point range, and he saved his biggest 3-pointer for the right time.
Tennessee led by as many as 23 points in the game, but LMU chipped into the margin late in the second half.
The Railsplitters cut the margin to four points with less than seven minutes to play. That's when Golden drained his fourth 3-pointer of the night from the wing to stop LMU's momentum.
Jordan McRae got a steal on LMU's next possession and got it to Golden on the break. The point guard then found Cameron Tatum at the basket for a dunk, and the Vols ultimately preserved the victory.
Golden's line was a career-type night for the sophomore, although the stats in exhibition games do not count. His 22 points dwarf his high of 8 points last season. He also added performance highs in rebounds (4) and assists (8). Perhaps the most critical stat of Golden's line was no turnovers in 34 minutes.
"Coach told me to take care of the ball, and that's really what I'm trying to do, just read what the defense gives me and take advantage of it," Golden said.
Yet in point guard fashion, he brought his teammates into the credit when asked about his own performance.
"They were falling," Golden said. "Everybody had them falling. Skylar shot 4-of-6, Cam (Tatum) got his stroke on. Jordan didn't shoot that well, but I know next game he'll be ready."
Tennessee head coach Cuonzo Martin, however, gave credit to Golden.
"I was very impressed with his ability to score the ball," Martin said. "The thing Trae did over the summer and preseason was condition his body so he could knock down those shots. He does such a good job of getting in there. I said going in tonight that he needs to play to his ability. If he stays healthy, he'll be one of the best guards in this league before it's all said and done."
Tatum scored 13 points for the Vols and had seven rebounds. Skylar McBee and Jeronne Maymon added 11 points each, and Maymon grabbed 10 rebounds for his second double-double in the exhibition season.
"He was focused in practice. That was the biggest key," Martin said of Maymon's second double-double. "We want him to be more aggressive and want the ball. He's an unselfish guy by nature, but we want him to get the ball on the block."
The Vols jumped on the Railsplitters early with a 19-0 run. The separation remained for much of the game as Tennessee worked on its offensive rotation while trying to preserve the lead.
LMU, however, responded in the second half with a spurt to cut into the gap. The Railsplitters cut it to a 10-point game with 9:45to play. Then Wally Jones hit a 3 for LMU and Justin Allen got a layup to make it 64-57 Tennessee.
After a timeout and a miss by the Vols, Cam Carden notched another 3-pointer for the Railsplitters and it was a four-point game with 7:09 left.
That's when Golden hit his critical shot and then dished to Tatum, and the Vols held on for the exhibition victory.
Tennessee went 2-0 in its exhibition games, and Monday's was the more difficult. LMU enters its season ranked as the No. 2 Division II team in the country.
"They're a great team," Golden said. "Any team that can come back from 23 points down is a great team. They're not ranked No. 2 in Division II for no reason."
Martin said it was a good test for his team going into the regular season.
"Tennessee is expected to win this game because we're Tennessee," Martin said. "But this is a very good opponent. Most teams wouldn't play those guys because of what they bring to the table."
The Vols begin the regular season Friday against UNC Greensboro with a 7 p.m. tipoff (FOX Sports South) at Thompson-Boling Arena. The game is an opening-round contest for the EA Sports Maui Invitational.
