3 Takeaways: No. 3 Tennessee 96, Tennessee Tech 53

Photo by Andrew Ferguson/Tennessee Athletics

Tennessee dominated Tennessee Tech from the opening tip on Saturday, winning 96-53. The Vols got off to a quick start, leading 5-0 within the first 1:09 of the game. Once they got rolling, they never looked back. Tennessee put on a dunk contest, throwing down 12 total dunks on the afternoon. Vol fans packed Thompson-Boling Arena for the final game of 2018, coming just 513 shy of a sellout.

The Vols led 31-10 after 10:30 of action. The Golden Eagles got punched in the mouth early and had no response. The Vols held a 47-20 lead with 3:00 left in the first half, but Tennessee Tech finished the half on a 13-4 run and trailed 51-33 at halftime.

Admiral Schofield got the second half started with a 3-pointer, foreshadowing the dominant second half that would follow. Tennessee out-scored Tennessee Tech 45-20 in the second half, as their dunk-fest continued. The Vols led by 23 points with 13 minutes to go. They would go on to outscore the Golden Eagles 25-5 throughout the remainder of the game. The Tennessee defense would not let up, allowing a mere 5 points over the game’s final 13 minutes and surrendering just 20 points in the second half.

A highlight from the second half was one of John Fulkerson’s dunks. He stole the ball in stride and ran down the court for a 1-handed slam. In the process, he was fouled on a flagrant 1 and collided with a nearby cameraman. Thompson-Boling Arena gave him a standing ovation and a chant of “Fulky” broke out. Lucas Campbell’s made 3-pointer with just under 30 seconds left put the exclamation point on the 43-point victory.

Grant Williams logged 25 points on 10-11 shooting, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks. Schofield recorded 16 points, 3 rebounds, 3 blocks, an assist and a steal. Kyle Alexander finished with 8 points, 5 rebounds and 3 blocks. Yves Pons had 8 points and 4 rebounds, while Jordan Bowden posted 5 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals.

Here are 3 Takeaways from Tennessee’s 96-53 win.

Tennessee Had a Dunk-Fest

Tennessee dunked early and often, totaling 12 slams on the day. Grant and Admiral each had 2, Kyle had 1 and Yves Pons dunked three times. Fulkerson led the team with 4 dunks. He brought Thompson-Boling Arena to life with his steals and 1-handed slams. I was impressed with how quickly the Vols were turning their defense into offense. The Vols are going to be electric this season if they have Fulkerson getting in on the dunk action, along with Pons of course.

John Fulkerson Scores a Career-High

Fulkerson accounted for 4 of Tennessee’s 12 dunks. He did this in a game in which he recorded a career-high 15 points. He also logged 4 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks and an assist. Fulkerson was extremely efficient on Saturday. Although his performance came against an overmatched opponent, he is more than capable of scoring in double figures come SEC play. Fulky will continue to be a key player for the Vols, especially while Lamonté Turner remains out.

Jordan Bone’s Assist Numbers Are Incredible

Bone continues to show that he is the most improved player on the roster. He’s an exciting player with exceptional quickness and decisiveness. He scored 16 points on 6-11 shooting, but the fact that he recorded 10 assists with just 1 turnover is even more impressive. In the last 7 games, Bone has dished out 55 assists, while turning the ball over just 15 times. He has taken control of the offense and has grown into one of the best point guards in the nation. The work that he put in during the offseason is paying off. Tennessee should continue to pick defenses apart with Bone’s incredible court vision.

Player of the Game: Grant Williams