Postgame Notes: Xavier 67, Vols, 63

Nov. 12, 2013

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SEASON OPENERS

Tennessee lost a season opener for the first time since 1998 after winning 14 consecutive season openers dating back to a loss to open the 1998-99 season.

Tennessee was a perfect 14-0 in openers in the 2000s, prior to this loss.

Of the 14 season opening wins, 13 were played in Knoxville with the only other one aside from this year coming in Lahaina, Maui in 2004-05, a 69-57 win over Stanford.

The last time the Vols played a true road game to open the season was in 1992-93, when UT won at Rutgers, 87-79 on Nov. 19, 1992.

McRAE SCORING

Jordan McRae scored 23 points for his 38th game in double-figures in his career.

He had 13 of the Vols' 20 first-half points.

He scored 20 points for the 13th time in his career.

J-RICH SCORING RICH

Josh Richardson tallied 13 points for his 11th career game in double-figures.

BARTON RAINS IN SECOND HALF

After being held scoreless in the first half, senior transfer Antonio Barton scored all 10 of his points in the second half.

With 10 points, Barton has 30 career games in double-figures with the first 29 coming in his three years at Memphis.

MAYMON RETURNS

Senior bigman Jeronne Maymon returned to action for the Vols after missing all of 2012-13 following knee surgery after the 2011-12 season.

Maymon started and scored Tennessee's first point of the season on a free throw, 2:05 into the game.

Maymon also had the Vols' first field goal of the season on a jumper with 16:28 left in the first half.

Maymon finished with seven points and grabbed 10 rebounds.

It was Maymon's 11th career game with double-figure rebounds.

DEBUTS

Five Vols made their Tennessee debuts:
- Freshman guard Darius Thompson started in his first game. He did not score.
- Freshman guard Robert Hubbs III entered as a sub 2:05 into the action. He did not score.
- Senior transfer guard Anotnio Barton made his first appearance for the Vols as a sub for Thompson with 3:16 elapsed. He scored 10 points.
- Freshman swingman A.J. Davis subbed in with 4:01 gone by in the first half. Davis score his first points on a layup with 4:50 left in the first half.
- Junior center Rawane Ndiaye made his debut with 14:36 left in the first half. He did not score.

FORCING TURNOVERS

The Vols forced Xavier into 16 turnovers, including 12 in the first half.

The most turnovers forced by a Vols team under Cuonzo Martin came in last season's meeting with Xavier, when UT induced 19 miscues by the Musketeers.

SERIES HISTORY

Tennessee leads the all-time series with Xavier, 11-5.

In games played in Cincinnati vs. the Muskies, the Vols are now 3-4.

Last year, Tennessee beat Xavier, 51-47 in Knoxville on Dec. 29, 2012.

That was the first meeting between Cuonzo Martin and Chris Mack. The coaches have split two meetings now.

THIS AND THAT

The Vols are now 27-22 against the current members of the BIG EAST Conference.

Tennessee is now 8-16 all-time in the state of Ohio. UT's last game in Ohio came in the 2009 NCAA Tournament, a first-round loss to Oklahoma State in Dayton.

The Vols have now won four of their last six true road games.

The Vols won their only previous game played on Nov. 12, an 82-62 win over Chattanooga in the 2010-11 season opener.

University of Tennessee Athletics

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