University of Tennessee Athletics
University of Tennessee
3-3
Kansas State
4-4
Vols Hold Off K-State, 65-64
December 06, 2014 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 6, 2014
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee's defense keyed a big non-conference victory, as the Vols took down Kansas State, 65-64, on Saturday in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge. The Vols evened their record at 3-3 while the Wildcats are now 4-4.
Kansas State's Marcus Foster (23 points) nailed four 3-pointers in the final 57 seconds to nearly bring the Wildcats back after a 10-point deficit in the final minute. But the Vols held on for Donnie Tyndall's first-career win over a Big 12 team.
Tennessee's stifling defense was on display for much of the game. The Vols held the Wildcats to 40.8 from the floor. K-State committed 22 turnovers as the Vols came away with 12 steals. The 22 turnovers were the most by a Vols' foe since North Carolina A&T had 34 in 2009. Tennessee also blocked nine shots.
Senior Josh Richardson led the Vols with 17 points. Junior Armani Moore had an all-around game with six points, five rebounds, five assists and a career-high five blocks. Freshmen Willie Carmichael III had the best game in his young college career with nine points and six rebounds.
When the Vols needed to come up big, the defense did the job. Kansas State was within five at 50-45 with 6:22 remaining, but the Wildcats missed their next three shots and turned the ball over three times in a span of two minutes as the Vols took advantage.
The Vols gained the game's first double-figure lead of the game on a Richardson's jumper with 4:34 left in the second half at 55-45. Kansas State had hung around, staying within three possessions throughout the second half.
Kevin Punter's only two baskets of the day, came in the final 3:42, as the Vols took a lead of a dozen late.
The Wildcats' 3-point shooting helped them make a late comeback as Foster connected on those four 3-pointers in the final minute as K-State cut the final margin to a point at 65-64.
Jevon Thomas (13) and Nino Williams (10) were the Wildcats' other double-figure scorers.
The Vols fended off the Wildcats push early in the second half. K-State cut their deficit to one at 32-31 on a Marcus Foster 3-pointer. But the Vols responded with a 9-2 spurt keyed by a Carmichael III 3-point play to lead 41-33 with 11 minutes left.
Defense was the name of the game in the first half as Tennessee held a 25-17 lead at intermission. Combined, the teams shot 31.3 from the floor with the Vols going 10-of-28 for 35.7 percent and K-State shooting 25 percent on 5-of-20. The Wildcats missed all seven of their 3-point attempts. Tennessee forced the Wildcats into 13 first-half turnovers.
In holding K-State to 17 points at the half, the Vols had their best defensive first half since leading Presbyterian, 43-13, on Dec. 18, 2012.
Kansas State was held without a field goal for a span of 11:27 as the Wildcats missed seven shots and turned the ball over eight times. Richardson and Robert Hubbs III canned back-to-back 3-pointers to put the Vols ahead, 14-10 with eight minutes left in the first half.
The Vols return to action on Sunday, Dec. 14 as they welcome #23 Butler to Thompson-Boling Arena for a 2 p.m., tip in a game that airs on ESPNU and can be heard on the Vol Network.
