EditorsNote: Minor grammar changes throughout
The ninth-ranked Tennessee Volunteers cashed in on a 23-point performance by Santiago Vescovi to beat Texas A&M 68-54 in a Southeastern Conference game on Saturday afternoon in Bryan-College Station, Texas.
Vescovi made six of 10 3-point attempts.
The Vols (9-1, 3-1 SEC) also got big games out of John Fulkerson and Jaden Springer, who had 11 and 10 points, respectively.
Fulkerson added five rebounds.
Tennessee shot 58.7 percent from the floor and was able to spread the ball around, as it had 23 assists.
But once again, it was the Tennessee defense that stole the show. The Vols arrived at A&M ranked third in the nation in scoring defense, yielding just 57.1 points per game. The Vols held A&M to 34 percent shooting on the game.
The Aggies top scorer on the season, Emanuel Miller was held to eight points. Tennessee forced 15 turnovers.
The Aggies (6-4, 1-3 SEC) lost their second in a row.
Savion Flagg led them in scoring with 12 points, while Quenton Jackson added 11 points for the Aggies.
About the only stat favoring Texas A&M came in rebounding where it held a 31-23 advantage.
Tennessee appeared to be on the verge of blowing out the Aggies in the first half but they fought back to narrow the lead to 37-30 at the buzzer thanks to six late 3-point shots over the final eight minutes of the first 20.
Vescovi hit four 3-pointers in the first half.
Miller was held to four in the first 20 minutes.
The second half was much like the first. Tennessee made some runs but each was countered by an Aggie run -- until the final minutes when the Vols used their crushing defense to give them their double-digit win.
The win avenges a 63-58 loss to the Aggies last January in Knoxville.
Tennessee is 2-0 on the road this season.
The Aggies will take to the road next, as they travel to Mississippi State on Wednesday. The Vols will also be on the road for their next game as they travel to South Carolina on Tuesday.
--Field Level Media
