~ From UTAD
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A double-double by Admiral Schofield fueled No. 3 Tennessee to a tough, 102-92 win over in-state rival Memphis on the road in FedExForum.
Schofield finished with 29 points on 8-of-12 shooting to go along with 11 rebounds, while helping the Vols’ eclipse the 100-point margin for the first time since putting up 103 against Appalachian State on Nov. 15, 2016.
Four other players chipped in double-digit scoring performances. Grant Williams had 19 points, five assists and four rebounds, while Jordan Bonedropped 17 points behind 11-of-12 shooting from the charity stripe. Jordan Bowden finished with 12 points, and Kyle Alexander just missed a double-double with 10 points, nine rebounds and four blocks.
It was a physical game from start to finish, with a total of 57 fouls called on both teams. The Vols (8-1) were able to capitalize at the stripe, knocking down 39 of their 46 attempts. The last time UT made 30 free throws in a game was last season vs. Auburn (1/2/18), when the Big Orange made exactly 30. In the second half alone, Tennessee was 25-of-29 from the line.
The second half was a high-scoring affair for both teams. The Vols scored 52 points, which is the most they’ve put up in a half this season. The Tigers (5-5), meanwhile, went off for 57 points.
Despite Memphis refusing to go quietly , the game was never closer than seven points during the entire period. The Tigers’ Kyvon Davenport posted an impressive performance with 31 points and 11 rebounds. At one point in the second half, he scored 18 consecutive points for the Tigers to keep Memphis in the game.
Ultimately, it was Tennessee’s offensive production that lifted the Vols to victory, shooting 52 percent from the floor and assisting on 21 of its 27 baskets.
The Vols began the game on a 15-5 run in the opening 3:43 of play. After Schofield knocked down his second 3-pointer in the stretch, the Tigers were forced to call a timeout.
However, Memphis fought back to make it a game, cutting UT’s lead to six points at 28-22. With the arena ready to burst, the Big Orange responded by rattling off a 15-3 run to regain the momentum.
Tennessee took a 50-35 lead into halftime. Williams led all scorers with 14 points, while Schofield chipped in nine points behind three 3-pointers and six rebounds. This marked the sixth-consecutive game the senior wing has knocked down multiple threes.
The first frame saw a major difference in shooting percentage between the two teams, as the Vols shot a 52-percent clip (15-of-29) from the floor while holding the Tigers to just 27-percent shooting (10-of-37).
AD FROM THREE: Schofield, who leads the Vols in 3-point shooting (23 3FGM), continued to show his range in UT’s 102-92 win against Memphis, knocking down four threes in his 29-point performance. The senior wing has made a three in 15 consecutive games as well as multiple treys in each of Tennessee’s last six outings.
CONVERTING FROM THE CHARITY STRIPE: Tennessee shot 46 free throws in Saturday’s win at Memphis. The Vols made those attempts count, knocking down 39 (85 percent) of them. During the final 5:26 of play, 16 of UT’s 20 points came from the charity stripe, including the final nine points to seal the victory. The last time the Vols had at least 42 attempts in a game was on Dec. 21, 2012, against Western Carolina.
UP NEXT: The Vols return home for a four-game stretch, beginning with Samford on Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET. That game will be streamed live on SEC Network+.
