KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Wednesday night, No. 11 Tennessee Men's Basketball faced Montana for the first time in program history. The Vols won, 92-57, inside Food City Center to continue non-conference play.
In Rick Barnes' 38-year coaching career, he has never played a school from the Big Sky. It's the only conference in the country he's never faced before.
Tennessee's starting five included Zakai Zeigler, Jahmai Mashack, Igor Milicic, Chaz Lanier and Felix Okpara.
The Vols went six-for-six to open up the game, including a pair of triples. However, after the first media timeout, Montana cut it to three with the Grizzlies' fourth triple of the night, 19-16.
With Montana within one, the Vols went on nearly a four-minute scoring drought before Mashack scored a pair of free-throws, and Milicic came up big with a turnaround jumper to give Tennessee some breathing room, 23-19.
The Grizzlies kept it close for most of the first half. Milicic gave the Vols more of a lead with a pump fake score and a corner three to make it a 38-29 game.
At the half, the Vols were 12-of-21 from the field and just four-of-nine from three. Milicic was 4-5 from the field and led in scoring with 14 points. UT was up, 40-31.
Tennessee turned it around in the second half. The defense held Montana to just 26 second-half points compared to the Vols' 52 points.
Igor Milicic led in scoring with 18 points, but Lanier lit up with 11 in the second half alone. Three other Vols scored in double-figures to help secure a third-straight win.
Tennessee is back in action against Austin-Peay on Sunday at 3 p.m. inside Food City Center.
