The Volunteers needed a late comeback vs. the Blue Raiders to stay undefeated
Not many things are better at making a top-ranked college basketball team temporarily lose focus like a nonconference game against a mid-major opponent two days before Christmas.
Tennessee learned this Monday night.
The Vols trailed by six points after 20 minutes against a Middle Tennessee team ranked 129th in the NET. They weren’t on the ropes, exactly. But they were at least in need of a nice second half to avoid taking their first loss of the season. Good for them, they got it in the form of a 48-24 second-half beatdown that allowed Tennessee to win 82-64, improve to 12-0 and remain No. 1 in Tuesday morning’s updated CBS Sports Top 25 And 1 daily college basketball rankings.
UT is 12-0 for the first time since the 1922-23 season.
Chaz Lanier led the Vols in scoring for the eighth time, finishing with 23 points and four rebounds while making five of the 10 3-pointers he attempted. The 6-foot-4 transfer from North Florida is now averaging a team-high 19.3 points and shooting a career-best 47.4% from 3 on 7.9 attempts per contest. He’s a real candidate, probably just behind Auburn’s Johni Broome, to emerge as SEC Player of the Year. If Lanier does it, he’ll be the second straight Tennessee player to secure the honor following Dalton Knecht, another mid-major transfer, last season.
Tennessee won’t play again until it hosts Norfolk State on New Year’s Eve inside the Food City Center. After that, it’s the SEC opener against John Calipari’s Arkansas Razorbacks that will conclude a four-game homestand.
| 1 |
 Tennessee |
Chaz Lanier finished with 23 points and four rebounds in Monday’s 82-64 win over Middle Tennessee. The Vols’ next game is Dec. 31 against Norfolk State. | — | 12-0 |
| 2 |
 Auburn |
Johni Broome finished with 23 points and 11 rebounds in Saturday’s 87-69 win over Purdue. The Tigers’ next game is Monday against Monmouth. | — | 11-1 |
| 3 |
 Iowa St. |
Tamin Lipsey finished with 20 points and five assists in Sunday’s 99-71 win over Morgan State. The Cyclones’ next game is Dec. 30 at Colorado. | — | 10-1 |
| 4 |
 Duke |
Kon Knueppel finished with 18 points and five assists in Saturday’s 82-56 win at Georgia Tech. The Blue Devils’ next game is Dec. 31 against Virginia Tech. | — | 10-2 |
| 5 |
 Alabama |
Mark Sears finished with 16 points and two steals in Sunday’s 81-54 win over Kent State. The Crimson Tide’s next game is Sunday against South Dakota State. | — | 10-2 |
| 6 |
 Kansas |
Zeke Mayo finished with 25 points and eight rebounds in Sunday’s 87-53 win over Brown. The Jayhawks’ next game is Dec. 31 against West Virginia. | — | 9-2 |
| 7 |
 Florida |
Will Richard finished with 26 points and five rebounds in Saturday’s 99-45 win over North Florida. The Gators’ next game is Dec. 29 against Stetson. | — | 12-0 |
| 8 |
 Marquette |
Kam Jones finished with 20 points and eight assists in Saturday’s 73-70 win at Xavier. The Golden Eagles’ next game is Tuesday at Providence. | — | 11-2 |
| 9 |
 Kentucky |
Jaxson Robinson was 3-of-11 from the field in Saturday’s 85-65 loss to Ohio State. The Wildcats’ next game is Tuesday against Brown. | — | 10-2 |
| 10 |
 Michigan St. |
Coen Carr finished with 17 points and eight rebounds in Saturday’s 86-69 win over Florida Atlantic. The Spartans’ next game is Dec. 30 against Western Michigan. | — | 10-2 |
| 11 |
 Ole Miss |
Sean Pedulla finished with 25 points and four steals in Saturday’s 80-62 win over Queens. The Rebels’ next game is Saturday at Memphis. | — | 11-1 |
| 12 |
 Oregon |
Kwame Evans Jr. finished with 13 points and three rebounds in Saturday’s 76-61 win over Stanford. The Ducks’ next game is Dec. 29 against Weber State. | — | 11-1 |
| 13 |
 Miss. St. |
Riley Kugel finished with 19 points and four rebounds in Saturday’s 79-66 win at Memphis. The Bulldogs’ next game is Dec. 30 against Bethune Cookman. | — | 11-1 |
| 14 |
 Texas A&M |
Hayden Hefner finished with 19 points and two steals in Friday’s 77-45 win over Houston Christian. The Aggies’ next game is Dec. 28 against Abilene Christian. | — | 10-2 |
| 15 |
 Maryland |
Selton Miguel finished with 24 points and two steals in Saturday’s 87-60 win over Syracuse. The Terrapins’ next game is Saturday against Maryland Eastern Shore. | — | 10-2 |
| 16 |
 UCLA |
Dylan Andrew was 1-of-6 from the field in Saturday’s 75-74 loss to North Carolina. The Bruins’ next game is Saturday against Gonzaga. | — | 10-2 |
| 17 |
 Purdue |
Braden Smith was 3-of-12 from the field in Saturday’s 87-69 loss to Auburn. The Boilermakers’ next game is Dec. 29 against Toledo. | — | 8-4 |
| 18 |
 Illinois |
Kasparas Jakucionis finished with 21 points and four assists in Sunday’s 80-77 win over Missouri. The Illini’s next game is Sunday against Chicago State. | — | 8-3 |
| 19 |
 UConn |
Alex Karaban finished with 21 points and six rebonds in Saturday’s 78-74 win at Butler. The Huskies’ next game is Jan. 1 at DePaul. | — | 10-3 |
| 20 |
 Gonzaga |
Graham Ike finished with 25 points and 10 rebounds in Saturday’s 86-65 win over Bucknell. The Zags’ next game is Saturday against UCLA. | — | 9-3 |
| 21 |
 San Diego St. |
Nick Boyd finished with 17 points and four steals in Saturday’s 71-50 win over Cal. The Aztecs’ next game is Saturday against Utah State. | — | 8-2 |
| 22 |
 Houston |
Emanuel Sharp finished with 18 points and two assists in Saturday’s 87-51 win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christie. The Cougars’ next game is Dec. 30 at Oklahoma State. | — | 8-3 |
| 23 |
 Oklahoma |
Duke Miles finished with 29 points and three assists in Sunday’s 89-66 win over Central Arkansas. The Sooners’ next game is Sunday against Prairie View A&M. | — | 12-0 |
| 24 |
 Georgia |
Asa Newell finished with 16 points and six rebounds in Thursday’s 100-49 win over Buffalo. The Bulldogs’ next game is Sunday against Charleston Southern. | — | 11-1 |
| 25 |
 Baylor |
Norchad Omier finished with 19 points and seven rebounds in Wednesday’s 94-69 win over Norfolk State. The Bears’ next game is Friday against Arlington Baptist. | — | 7-3 |
| 26 |
 N. Carolina |
Ian Jackson finished with 24 points and four rebounds in Saturday’s 76-74 win over UCLA. The Tar Heels’ next game is Dec. 29 against Campbell. | — | 7-5 |
