KNOXVILLE, Tennessee — Tarleton State was within six with just over four minutes to go but was until to shorten the deficit any more as the Texans fell 65-46 to No. 8 Tennessee on Thursday night at Thompson-Boling Arena.
The Texans (8-4 overall, 2-0 WAC) battled their fifth AP Top 25 opponent in program history, the nationally ranked No. 8 Tennessee Volunteers (9-3, 0-0 SEC).
We want to come out and be the toughest team every time we step out on the court, that the way we approach each and every game," said acting head coach Jospeh Jones after the game. "We came out being physical against a team of Tennessee's caliber and that is a great takeaway for us tonight."
Devon Barnes produced a team-high 12 points as one of three Texans to score in double-figures.
KiAndre Gaddy and
Lue Williams added 10 apiece. Gaddy also added a team-best four blocks along with seven rebounds.
Jakorie Smith led Tarleton with eight boards and two steals.
In the second half, the Texans made Tennessee fans very nervous of an upset. The Volunteers started out shooting 2-for-17 from the floor. Tennessee's shooting turned cold with the Vols only scoring eight points in the first 12 minutes of the second half. With eight minutes remaining, the Texans found them within striking distance trailing, 47-38.
In a moment where the momentum felt switched in Rocky Top to the Texans' favor, the Tennessee fans made their presence felt with a load roar in attempts to disrupt the Texans. Despite a backcourt violation, the Texans cut their deficit to six after a crucial layup at the basket by Williams, to cut the difference to 50-44.
The Vols held their ground earning a foul on the very next possession and converting on both free throws. A brief 8-0 run weakened the Purple and White's comeback chances, ultimately ending in a 65-46 defeat at the final horn.
The Texans were unable to score the first bucket of the game against an AP Top 25 opponent for the first time in program history, but Gaddy battled through traffic to lay-in the Texans first points in Knoxville.
Unfazed when the Vols took a 9-4 lead, the Texans overcame the deficit to take a 10-9 lead for the first time in the game. A three-point play for Barnes followed by another Gaddy bucket gave the Texans the lead. Tennessee responded to tie the game at 10. Once again, the Texans showed their fight with a layup by
Dario Domingos to regain the lead.
Tennessee used a 7-0 run to regain the lead and hold a 14-point advantage heading into the first half. The Volunteers were red hot from behind the arc, shooting 6-for-11, a 54.5 percent rate. The Vols has six players with at least five points each in the half, Barnes led the Texans with seven.
Both teams shot cold in the second half with neither team scoring until a Gaddy hook over three and a half minutes into the second half. The Volunteers missed 22 shots in the second half shooting at a 21.4 percent rate from the floor. The 21.4 clip was over 30 percent less than their 51.9 mark in the first half. After making six threes in the first half, the deep ball was not falling for the Vols resulting in a 2-for-14 showing in the second.
Tarleton suffered the same drought from beyond the arc shooting 1-for-15 (6.7 percent) in the second half. The Texans 21 second half points was just four less than their first half mark, while making nine shots in each period of play.
Overall, the Texans held Tennessee lower than their season average in shooting from the floor and behind the arc. As a unit, the vols shot a 36.4 rate from the floor, seven percent lower than their season average. The Vols made eight of its 25 shots from deep, a 32.0 percent clip.
Tennessee won the battle of the boards, 39-37 and the turnover battle, 11-8. The Texans made seven steals while only the Vols one of their own.
Tarleton will end the 2023 calendar year on the road in Los Angeles against Loyola Marymount on Dec. 29. Tip-off is slated for 9 p.m. CST from Gersten Pavilion. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ and Crews will have the radio call.
