Vols Claim Victory Over Wofford in NCAA Tournament Debut

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Tennessee men’s basketball team, seeded second, kicked off its record-setting seventh consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance with a dominating win over No. 15 seed Wofford, finishing 77-62 at Rupp Arena. This victory secured Tennessee a spot in the Round of 32 for the fourth consecutive season.

Ranked sixth, Tennessee (28-7, 12-6 SEC) maintained control for almost the entire match, only trailing for the initial 13 seconds. Senior guard Chaz Lanier stood out with 29 points—the third-highest in NCAA Tournament history for a Volunteer. Additionally, senior guard Zakai Zeigler achieved a double-double with 12 points and 12 assists, setting a new school record for career assists.

Midway through the first half, Tennessee exploded for 12 points in a row, including seven from Lanier, quickly building a 22-8 lead with 11:02 left. Following a scoring drought from Wofford, the Terriers closed the gap with two back-to-back 3-pointers but Tennessee consistently answered, keeping Wofford at bay with leads of 13 points at times.

At the start of the second half, Tennessee pushed its lead back to 14 points, only for Wofford to counter with a three-point play and a 3-pointer, narrowing it to 48-40. However, Tennessee quickly regained dominance, extending its lead to a game-high of 16 points with a 61-45 score courtesy of six consecutive baskets.

While Wofford edged down the margin to nine at one point, junior forward Felix Okpara powered through with dunks to re-establish a 13-point lead, ultimately securing a comfortable 18-point advantage before settling for a 15-point win.

Lanier’s 29 points came from an 11-of-22 shooting performance, matching his career high for field goals. He also netted 6-of-13 from the three-point line, equaling the most single-game 3-pointers in NCAA Tournament history for the program. Meanwhile, Zeigler contributed with a solid shooting performance and became the sixth player in the last 50 years to record 12 points, 12 assists, and no turnovers in an NCAA Tournament game.

Next, the Volunteers are set to face either the seventh-seeded UCLA or the tenth-seeded team in the Round of 32, with details on timing and broadcasting still pending. Fans can stay updated on the University of Tennessee men’s basketball team’s journey through social media by following @Vol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, along with /tennesseebasketball on Facebook.