KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee men's basketball beat Syracuse in the SEC/ACC Challenge in Food City Center on Tuesday night. The Vols came out on top, 96-70, with graduate transfer Chaz Lanier leading the way with another double-figure game. With the win, Tennessee improves to 8-0 on the season for the first time since 2001.
Tennessee led by ten at halftime, 45-35. Lanier and sophomore forward Cade Phillips each scored in double figures in the first half. Phillips scored on three straight possessions in the early minutes.
In the first half, the Vols shot 41.7% from the field and went just 2-of-15 from three-point range, both triples coming from Zakai Zeigler.
The Vols jumped in front by over 30 points with about seven minutes remaining and started to cruise past the Orange in the second half.
Lanier led in scoring with 26 points, and four other Vols scored in double-figures including, Phillips, Zeigler, Igor Milicic Jr. and Jordan Gainey. Tennessee shot 53.8% from the field and made seven more triples in the second half.
Tennessee plays Miami at Madison Square Garden for the Jimmy V Classic at 6:30 p.m. in New York City.
