Tennessee rolled into Starkville on Tuesday night without Santiago Vescovi or Tyreke Key. Down two starters, the Volunteers still found a way to win. They overcame a bumpy first half, turning the momentum just before the halftime break. Rick Barnes took advantage of a mini-break as the Mississippi State staff installed a new net, and Tennessee came back to tie the game before halftime.
The Volunteers, powered by Zakai Zeigler and Julian Phillips, went on to win 70-59.
It was a really nice win, all things considered, but understandably, the focus was on Vescovi and Key after the game.