KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Zakai Zeigler and Santiago Vescovi each scored 15 points to lead the 10th-ranked Tennessee Volunteers to a 68-59 win over the No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide on Wednesday night.
Holding the No. 1 spot has been an unlucky place to be this college basketball season, as the Tide's loss marks the eighth time this season an AP No. 1 team has fell. That record ties 1993-94 season. Alabama was voted to the top spot on Monday.
Tennessee was able to bounce back from a pair of last-second losses despite being without two of their key players -- Josiah-Jordan James (ankle) and Julian Phillips (hip flexor) -- who have been struggling with injuries. The Volunteers have now won six of their past seven games against top-10 teams.
Tennessee bounced back from a pair of last-second defeats despite being without two starters -- Josiah-Jordan James (ankle) and Julian Phillips (hip flexor) -- who have been struggling with injuries. The Volunteers have won six of their past seven games against top-10 teams.
Coming out of the locker room tied at 29, the Vols kicked off the second half with a bang.
Zeigler lobbed up an alley-oop to Olivier Nkamhoua who slammed it home just eight seconds into the period. The jam sent the sold-out crowd into a frenzy and set the tone for the second half.
Alabama was able to tie the game at 40 with 14:09 left in the game, but an 11-3 run by Tennessee prove to be too much for the Tide to overcome.
Uros Plavsic, who finished with 10 points, extended Tennessee's lead to 56-47 on a three-point play with just over five minutes left in the game.
Brandon Miller led the Tide with 15 points and with 10 rebounds, Jaden Bradley added 14 points and Nimari Burnett scored 11.
Alabama's big man Charles Bediako, who has been dealing with a "minor knee injury" that he sustained in Saturday's win over Auburn, was able to play. He contributed 4 points, 5 rebounds and 2 blocks.
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