Inside Tennessee basketball's first loss vs Vanderbilt in Knoxville since 2017
Tennessee basketball could not pull off a second straight SEC win without injured star Nate Ament and lost out on a double bye for the SEC Tournament.
The No. 25 Vols (21-10, 11-7 SEC) never led in their 86-82 loss to No. 22 Vanderbilt (24-7, 11-7) at Food City Center in the final regular season game on March 7. It was Vanderbilt's first win in Knoxville since 2017.
Tennessee could not overcome both Ament's absence and a subpar performance from senior guard Ja'Kobi Gillespie on senior day. Ament missed his second game with a high ankle sprain, leaving Gillespie to shoulder the offensive burden. He finished with 17 points on 5-of-22 shooting and five turnovers.
The Vols trailed by as many as 17 points but repeatedly cut Vanderbilt's lead down to single digits. They had a chance to win in the final minute after forcing multiple turnovers, including a Gillespie 3-point attempt that could've brought Tennessee within a point, but could not capitalize on the opportunities.
Tennessee will start the SEC Tournament in Nashville with a second-round game on March 12.
Freshman Amari Evans shines in best performance
Freshman guard Amari Evans had the best game of his career in his second start. Evans, stepping in for Ament, replicated the potential NBA lottery pick's production with 24 points on 50% shooting, six rebounds and three steals.
Evans opened the game with 10 of Tennessee's first 15 points. His continuous pressure on the rim kept the Vols' offense afloat early. He knocked down two 3-pointers in the second half, one of which cut Vanderbilt's lead down to just five points.
J.P. Estrella gets going too late
In Tennessee's 78-59 win over South Carolina on March 3, J.P. Estrella and Felix Okpara combined for 42 points. In the first half against Vanderbilt, they combined for two points on 1-of-2 shooting. Estrella did not attempt a shot.
Estrella started in the second half over Jaylen Carey and finished with 20 points on 9-of-12 shooting. He got going on the low block with post hooks and turnaround jumpers, and drilled a 3-pointer that kept the Vols hopes alive in the final minute. The redshirt sophomore forward also grabbed 10 rebounds and had two assists and a block.
Vols lose despite winning key stats
Once again, Tennessee controlled the offensive glass. The Vols pulled down 17 offensive rebounds to Vanderbilt's seven. They could not, however, turn the extra possessions into points. Tennessee only had nine second-chance points, and it was 12-of-21 overall on layups.
The Vols also had a slight advantage in the turnover battle. They only committed 11 turnovers, resulting in 13 points. Vanderbilt gave away 14 turnovers, though it only led to 11 points.
Wynton Jackson covers high school sports for Knox News. Email: wynton.jackson@knoxnews.com
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Unpacking Tennessee basketball loss vs Vanderbilt in Knoxville since 2017
