Tennessee began conference play on Saturday afternoon as LSU came to town. With Lamonte Turner no longer an option, the Vols were looking to find an answer at point guard. If his play on Saturday foreshadowed what could be to come, freshman guard Santiago Vescovi could be just what the doctor ordered for Rick Barnes and his team.
The freshman from Uruguay started the game and had an immediate impact on the offensive end. He hit two quick three pointers early on, and finished the first half with nine points. Vescovi and fellow freshman Josiah James combined for 20 points in the first half, as they shot a collective six of seven from three point range in the first half of their first SEC game.
Even after everything positive that happened early on, LSU took a 38-37 lead into half. It's not often that when a team shoots 69% from three point range they find themselves trailing. That was the case for the Vols as they headed to halftime, in large part because Tennessee turned the ball over 10 times in the first half.
In the second half, LSU extended their lead while Tennessee's turnover struggles continued. The Vols finished the game with 14 turnovers, and their three point percentage fell from 69% in the first half, to just under 31% in the second half.
While Tennessee struggled to stop the Tigers on the defensive end, the struggles were most evident on the offensive end for the Vols.
One of Tennessee's most experienced, counted on scorers in Jordan Bowden, finished the game shooting just 1-12 from the field. The Tigers had a major advantage at the free throw line as well. LSU shot 14 free throws while Tennessee shot just five free throws for the game. Those eye-opening statistics, combined with 14 turnovers for the Vols, made it extremely tough for Tennessee to keep up with LSU's scoring output.
LSU would prevail over Tennessee, defeating the Vols by a final score of 78-64.
If fans are looking for a bright spot, it would be the play of freshmen Santiago Vescovi and Josiah James. Vescovi hadn't practiced with the Vols before this week, and he finished with 18 points in his Tennessee debut. Surprisingly, at the point guard position, Vescovi lead the team in rebounding with six boards. Fellow freshman Josiah James also had an impressive outing, tallying 15 points and five rebounds for the Vols.
Tennessee will look to pick up their first conference win when they visit Missouri on Tuesday night.
