Tennessee's defense locked down Horizon League champ Wright State to help the Vols to a 73-47 win in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The 47 points scored by the Raiders are the fewest Tennessee has ever allowed in an NCAA Tournament game.
"Obviously we're happy with the win and the fact that we felt coming in that Wright State would be as difficult a team that we've played all year in terms of the way they move without the ball," head coach Rick Barnes said.
"They're really a team that, you watching them on tape, you could tell they were just a terrific team. They understood each other. They've had one of those special years, a lot like we have. So from that point, defensively we were really pretty good today against a team that's not a very easy team to guard. Offensively once we settled in, we settled in, and we missed some easy ones early, but we settled in and got our offense going."
The Vols held Wright State without a field goal for three different stretches of four or more minutes. The Raiders shot 19-60 (31.7 percent) from the field.
PHOTOS: Vols vs. Wright State NCAA First Round
Tennessee missed its first six shots but then made five in a row and never trailed again after taking a 5-4 lead.
Lamonte Turner led Tennessee with 19 points and dished out a career-high nine assists. Admiral Schofield contributed a double-double, scoring 15 points and pulling down 12 rebounds.
"The biggest thing is we came out and did what we said we were going to do, try to run them out of their offense," Schofield said.
"And against a great team, like Coach Barnes said, a very special team that can shoot the ball. They're great with movement away from the ball, and we guarded pretty well. But towards the end of the game, we didn't do our job. We kind of let up on defense. So we've got to tighten down in that aspect, but we're going to get a day off and really recoup our bodies and our minds and get ready for whoever our next opponent is."
SEC Player of the Year Grant Williams also scored in double figures, with 14 points, and grabbed nine boards.
The Vols will advance to the second round on Saturday against Loyola Chicago. The game time has not been announced.
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