Grant Williams scored 31 points as No. 6 Tennessee rolled to an 87-65 non-conference victory against visiting Louisiana on Friday night in Knoxville, Tenn.
Williams made 11-of-15 field-goal attempts to lead a balanced Volunteers attack, as all five starters scored in double figures and the team improved to 2-0. Admiral Schofield added 15 points, and Jordan Bone, Jordan Bowden and Kyle Alexander scored 10 each.
JaKeenan Gant led the Ragin' Cajuns (1-1) with 18 points, and Marcus Stroman had 11. Justin Miller came off the bench to score 10.
The Volunteers led 48-31 at halftime, but the Cajuns started chipping away early in the second half.
Malik Marquetti made back-to-back 3-pointers, and Gants scored five straight points as Louisiana crept within 61-48 midway through the second half.
Williams made a 3-pointer and a layup, and Bowden added a 3-pointer as Tennessee bounced back to increase the lead to 73-52. The Volunteers maintained a comfortable margin the rest of the way as they continued to outshoot the Cajuns.
Tennessee shot 54.0 percent from the field and Louisiana shot 39.7 percent. Tennessee made 9 of 21 3-pointers and Louisiana made 8 of 25.
Bone and Williams each made a 3-pointer as Tennessee got off to a fast start, opening a 19-13 lead.
Williams made a jumper and a 3-pointer, and Bowden converted a four-point play as the Volunteers increased the lead to 41-22.
Louisiana scored the final four points of the half as Miller made a layup, and Trajan Wesley hit a pair of free throws.
But the disparity in shooting continued in the second half as the Volunteers prevailed without being seriously threatened.
-Field Level Media
UL Lafayette | Tennessee | |
Jakeenan Gant 18 | Scoring | Grant Williams 31 |
Marcus Stroman 9 | Assists | Jordan Bone 8 |
Malik Marquetti 9 | Rebounds | Grant Williams 10 |
Justin Miller 2 | Free Throws Made | Grant Williams 6 |
Jakeenan Gant 3 | Steals | Grant Williams 2 |
Jakeenan Gant 1 | Blocks | Kyle Alexander 3 |
Team | Points | FG% | 3PM-3PA | FTM-FTA | Assists | Rebounds | Blocks | Steals | Turnovers |
UL Lafayette | 65 | 39.7 | 8-25 | 7-14 | 11 | 26 | 1 | 7 | 12 |
Tennessee | 87 | 54.0 | 9-21 | 10-12 | 27 | 38 | 4 | 3 | 11 |