3 Takeaways: No. 3 Tennessee 83, Wake Forest 64
Photo by Caleb Jones/Tennessee Athletics
Tennessee scored exactly 83 points for the second game in a row, as they captured an 83-64 win over Wake Forest. The Vols wore their throwing uniforms for the second time this season and the first in Thompson-Boling Arena. This win in front of 19,846 fans marks the first time the Vols have reached 10 wins before Christmas since the 2007-08 season.
The game was tightly contested in the first half, but once Tennessee began to pull away, they could not be slowed down. The game was tied at 19 with 8:30 left in the first half. The Vols went on a 20-9 run over the final 6:15 of the first half and held a 42-30 lead at halftime. Although it was only a 12-point lead, the Vols were in full control and it was evident that Wake Forest was in trouble. Tennessee opened the second half on a 22-9 run, with Bone dishing out the ball efficiently and everyone playing in rhythm. They continued to roll for a convincing 83-64 victory.
Grant Williams led all scorers, with 22 points on 7-14 shooting, as well as going 8-9 from the free throw line. He completed the double-double with 10 rebounds, along with 2 assists, 2 steals and 3 blocks. Admiral Schofield posted 12 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists. Jordan Bowden and Jalen Johnson each contributed 6 points.
Here are 3 Takeaways from Tennessee’s tenth win of the season.
Kyle Alexander Has a Career Day
Kyle dominated the Demon deacons on Saturday. He scored a career-high 19 points on an impressive 9-10 shooting, along with 8 rebounds, 1 steal and a block. He was determined once he got into the paint and his continued soft touch around the rim is what makes him dangerous. At 6’11”, when he gets the ball near the basket, it is often too late for the defense to react. I’ve been saying since last year that, with all the outside weapons the Vols have, if Kyle can record a double-double or get close to doing so, it adds another player that defenses have to focus on. Some teams try to double team Grant, but leaving Kyle open is a bad decision.
Bone Had Another Great Outing
Bone recorded the first double-double of his career on Wednesday against Samford. He came out with that same intensity on Saturday, recording 18 points on 8-15 shooting, to go with 5 assists and 4 rebounds. In Tennessee’s last 2 games, Bone has scored 42 points and dished out 16 assists, all while turning the ball over just 2 times in those 71 minutes of play. He has vocalized the fact that he wants his teammates to run the floor with him so that Tennessee can play with a fast-paced attack. That’s exactly what happened on Saturday. The Vols are the best versions of themselves when Bone is finding his teammates for open shots.
Consistency on Offense
The Vols shot over 51% for the third consecutive game on Saturday. They made 53.3% (32-60) of their field goal attempts and went 16-21 from the free throw line. Tennessee didn’t play to their standard from 3-point range, making just 3-13 attempts, but they assisted on over half of their made shots, 17 of 32. Tennessee out-rebounded the Deamon Deacons, 34-28 and limited themselves to just 5 turnovers over the entirety of the game. Tennessee scored 83 points while making just 3 triples on the day. That’s scary for the rest of the SEC. This game was proof that Tennessee can beat teams in the post when their perimeter shots are not falling.
Player of the Game: Kyle Alexander
