Buzzer-Beater Lifts Vanderbilt Over Tennessee
Photo by Christopher Hanewinckel / USA Today
Nashville, Tennessee (PSF) - Tyrin Lawrence’s corner three as time expired gave the Vanderbilt Commodores a one-point win over the number six ranked Tennessee Volunteers. The final score was 66-65. This was a massive upset for the Commodores who were one game under .500 coming into this matchup. They were 10.5 point home underdogs against the Volunteers, who have been one of the top teams in college basketball this season.
Tennessee is in a bit of trouble as they haven’t been able to play a complete game as of late. Last week’s number two ranked team in the nation fell to number six in the latest AP Poll after a 13-point loss to unranked Florida and a narrow victory over Auburn, a game in which the Volunteers only scored 46 points.
Tennessee has arguably the best defense in the country, as they are number one overall in several key defensive metrics like scoring defense and team defensive efficiency. It’s the offense for Tennessee that struggles to find points at times, and it has prevented this team from getting to that next level of all-around play.
The game was back and forth throughout, with neither team gaining a lead larger than five points. It was an improbable win for Vanderbilt as they had to foul down two points with just eight seconds remaining. Tennessee’s Santiago Vescovi missed the front-end of a one-and-one, giving Vanderbilt a final opportunity. Guard Ezra Manjon drove into the lane and found fellow guard Tyrin Lawrence wide open in the corner. He drained the shot with no time left on the clock.
Lawrence led the way for the Commodores with 19 points, with the biggest bucket coming on the final shot of the game. Senior forward Liam Robbins added 14 points, nine rebounds and three blocks. For the Volunteers, a pair of senior guards led the way with 14 points each in Tyreke Key and Santiago Vescovi.
It was a huge win for a team that really needed a notable victory, although the Commodores are quite unlikely to make this year’s NCAA Tournament unless they can somehow win the SEC Conference Tournament to secure an automatic bid. Tennessee will likely fall again in both the AP Poll rankings and in their projected seed line for the NCAA Tournament. They will look to turn things around in their next game against Missouri, while Vanderbilt goes on the road to take on Florida in their next matchup.
