The Tennessee Volunteers had one last chance to snare an impressive preseason win for their tournament resume, and this time they didn’t miss.
The #17 Vols defeated #20 Illinois 86-79 on Saturday afternoon at Thompson-Boling Arena. Dalton Knecht led the Vols with 21 points and 4 rebounds. Terrence Shannon, Jr. and Quincy Gerrier both led the Illini with 22 points each.
The first half was a see-saw affair, as the Vols led by as many as 8 points early at 28-20 after Santiago Vescovi splashed home a three pointer. However, Illinois would go on a 16-6 run to take a 36-34 lead into the locker room, led by three-point shots by Coleman Hawkins, Gerrier, and Luke Goode.