KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tyler Tanner scored 25 points to lead No. 24 Vanderbilt past No. 23 Tennessee 86-82 on Saturday.
The Commodores (24-7, 11-7 in Southeastern Conference) led by double digits most of the game. The Volunteers (21-10, 11-7) cut their deficit to five points at 69-64 with a 3-pointer by Amari Evans with 5:25 to play. Vandy’s Chandler Bing answered with a 3-pointer to end that threat.
Tennessee, which scored 60 points in the second half, closed within four points in the final minute, but got no closer.
AK Okereke scored 17 and Duke Miles had 13 for Vandy.
Evans led Tennessee with 24 points. J.P. Estrella had 20 points and 10 rebounds. Ja’Kobi Gillespie scored 17 points and Felix Okpara had 10 rebounds.
Tennessee hit just 1 of 5 shots and had four turnovers in the first 6:27 of the game, allowing Vanderbilt to jump out to a 15-2 lead. The Vols clawed back, getting within six in the first half, but the Commodores led at intermission, 32-22. Evans had 12 points for Tennessee. The Vols had nine turnovers in the first half and hit just 9 of 28 shots (32%). Vandy didn’t hit a 3-pointer, but connected on 13 of 29 (45%) from the field.
Frankie Collins, who hadn’t played for Vanderbilt since December, has left the team. He hadn’t been seen on the bench the past couple weeks.
Nate Ament’s ankle/knee injury, which happened in the loss to Alabama, sidelined him against South Carolina and Vandy. Coach Rick Barnes said it’s more of a high ankle sprain and the time off gives him some time to heal a lean body that took some physical abuse this season before the postseason begins. Ament had 13 points and nine rebounds in the Vols’ first meeting with Vandy on Feb. 21, a 69-65 Tennessee win.
UP NEXT
Vanderbilt and Tennessee will play in the upcoming SEC Tournament in Nashville.
___
Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball