Tennessee drew to within one point in the final minute of play but was unable to overcome a second-half deficit Tuesday at No. 25 Texas A&M, 68-63.
Tennessee (20-8, 9-6 SEC) and Texas A&M (21-7, 13-2) shot nearly identical field goal percentages and 3-point percentages, but the Aggies were 28-of-34 at the free-throw line compared to the Vols’ 10-for-14.
Santiago Vescovi had an all-around standout performance for the shorthanded Vols, coming up just short of a triple-double with 14 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists, as well as grabbing three steals. Vescovi played a team-high 36 minutes while battling illness.
Zakai Zeigler tied for the team lead with 14 points of his own, along with four assists. Olivier Nkamhoua had 13 points, while Tobe Awaka had 10 points and seven rebounds.
Of Texas A&M’s 68 points, 46 came from Wade Taylor IV and Julius Marble, who had 25 and 21 points, respectively. Taylor IV was 16-for-17 at the free-throw line.
Tennessee returns to Thompson-Boling Arena for one final Saturday home game this season—taking on South Carolina at 6 p.m. on Saturday. The game will be televised on SEC Network.
