MENS BASKETBALL

Tennessee 80, Wisconsin 70

By STEVE MEGARGEE
Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. - Dalton Knecht scored 24 points to continue his smooth transition to high-major basketball as No. 9 Tennessee defeated Wisconsin 80-70.

Knecht led the Big Sky Conference with 20.2 points per game last season. The transfer from Northern Colorado averaged a team-best 16.3 points during Tennessee’s three-game exhibition tour of Italy this summer and had 17 points in his Volunteers debut, an 80-42 blowout of Tennessee Tech.

A fifth-year guard, the 6-foot-6 Knecht shot 8 of 15 from the floor and 7 for 9 on free throws.

Josiah-Jordan James scored 14 points, while Jonas Aidoo and Jordan Gainey each added 10 for Tennessee (2-0). AJ Storr scored 17, Steven Crowl 14, Chucky Hepburn 13 and Tyler Wahl 10 for Wisconsin (1-1).

Tennessee had a 43-35 lead at the break after shooting 15 of 27 over the first 20 minutes and closing the first half on a 12-4 run. Wisconsin continually crept closer in the second half, but Tennessee answered every time.

After Wahl scored to cut the Vols’ lead to 54-53 with 11:45 left, Tennessee responded on its next possession as James scored with the shot clock about to expire. Wisconsin’s Nolan Winter then missed a potential tying 3-pointer with 10:44 remaining.

Wisconsin cut the lead to three again on another basket by Wahl with 8:03 to go, but Knecht answered by driving the baseline, scoring and drawing a foul to convert a 3-point play. That started a 9-2 run in which Wisconsin missed three straight free throws, enabling the Vols to grab a double-digit lead with less than five minutes left.

Tennessee's lead didn't drop below six the rest of the way.

BIG PICTURE

Tennessee: The Vols did a nice job of staying poised while facing an early road test in front of a sellout crowd. Tennessee shot 50% from the floor and showcased its depth by outscoring Wisconsin 23-8 in bench points.

Wisconsin: This represented the first big test in the Badgers' grueling pre-holiday schedule. Wisconsin hosts No. 5 Marquette on Dec. 2, visits No. 4 Michigan State in its Big Ten opener Dec. 5 and travels to No. 12 Arizona on Dec. 9. The Badgers will need to shoot better from 3-point range and the foul line to have a chance in those games. Wisconsin went 6 of 24 on 3-point attempts and 14 of 23 on free throws.

November 10, 2023

Tennessee
Player	Pos	Min	FG-FGA	FT-FTA	3P-3PA	OR-TR	Ast	Blk	Stl	TO	PF	Pts
J. Aidoo	F	28	5-8	0-0	0-1	2-7	1	2	0	1	3	10
D. Knecht	G	36	8-15	7-9	1-4	0-5	2	0	0	3	3	24
J. James	G	31	4-8	5-7	1-3	0-6	0	0	1	1	3	14
S. Vescovi	G	29	2-4	1-1	0-1	1-4	1	0	0	0	3	5
J. Mashack	G	15	1-3	2-2	0-0	0-1	1	0	1	0	3	4
J. Gainey		21	3-8	2-2	2-4	0-1	2	0	1	1	2	10
Z. Zeigler		19	1-5	2-2	1-4	1-3	3	0	0	3	2	5
T. Awaka		12	3-4	0-0	0-0	2-6	0	1	0	1	3	6
C. Phillips		7	1-1	0-0	0-0	0-1	0	0	0	0	0	2
F. Dilione V		3	0-0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Totals		201	28-56 (.500)	19-23 (.826)	5-17 (.294)	6-35	10	3	3	10	22	80

Wisconsin
Player	Pos	Min	FG-FGA	FT-FTA	3P-3PA	OR-TR	Ast	Blk	Stl	TO	PF	Pts
T. Wahl	F	33	4-6	2-7	0-0	1-8	2	1	0	3	2	10
S. Crowl	F	26	4-9	5-6	1-2	3-9	1	1	0	1	3	14
C. Hepburn	G	36	5-9	2-2	1-4	2-4	1	0	1	2	4	13
A. Storr	G	33	7-20	1-2	2-7	0-1	2	0	0	0	2	17
M. Klesmit	G	28	2-8	2-3	2-7	1-3	3	0	0	1	2	8
N. Winter		12	1-3	0-0	0-2	1-1	1	0	0	0	0	2
C. Essegian		11	1-2	2-2	0-1	1-2	0	0	2	2	2	4
J. Blackwell		9	0-2	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0
C. Gilmore		6	1-1	0-1	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	1	2
M. Ilver		3	0-1	0-0	0-1	0-1	0	0	0	0	0	0
K. McGee		2	0-0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Totals		199	25-61 (.410)	14-23 (.609)	6-24 (.250)	10-31	10	2	3	9	17	70

Officials: Jeffrey Anderson, Owen Shortt, Brett Smith