OXFORD, Miss — Tennessee men's basketball got the win in their SEC opener against Ole Miss, coming from behind to win 63-59 against the Rebels in Oxford.
The seventh-ranked Vols, who have one of the top defenses in college basketball, let Ole Miss build a lead early with their offense. The Rebels got up 31-21 in the first half with 5:46 remaining before halftime.
UT regrouped defensively and only allowed Ole Miss three points the rest of the half and pulled within 6 points at halftime, trailing 34-28.
Santiago Vescovi led the Vols in the first half with 10 points.
Tennessee tied the game up at 36-36 in the second half when Zakai Zeigler made a layup. They gained their first lead since 17:38 in the first half with an Olivier Nkamhoua jump shot that put UT up 45-43 with 10:24 left in the second half.
The Vols stretched their lead out to 52-45 after Jonas Aidoo slammed home a wide-open dunk after Ole Miss failed on a trap opportunity trying to force a turnover. The Rebels rattled off six straight points to make it a one-point game again though with 5:01 to go thanks to a Jaemyn Brakefield three-pointer.
Tennessee led 59-54 with about a minute to go, but Aeshun Ruffin drilled another three-pointer to keep the Rebels close.
That was the score with about 30 seconds to go and the Vols had the ball. Ole Miss elected to foul. Zeigler made both free throws for a 61-57 lead. Tennessee got in the way of a pass on the Rebels' next possession and Ole Miss fouled with the ball loose.
Vescovi would go knock in two more free throws, which gave the Vols a 63-57 lead and 22 points for the game.
Aidoo had 8 points and 13 rebounds. Zeigler added 13 points.
Tennessee hung on to win 64-59.
The Vols play Mississippi State next at home on Jan. 3 in Knoxville.
