'Team' Tennessee Handles State Behind 11-2 Run To End Game

No. 19 Tennessee was without starting junior forward Olivier Nkamhoua because of an ankle injury suffered Saturday that ended his season, but the team took over in a 72-63 win at Mississippi State on Wednesday night.

Freshman guard Kennedy Chandler scored 18 points with five rebounds, five steals and three assists, and junior guard Josiah-Jordan James also scored 18 as the Volunteers (17-6, 8-3 SEC) won their third straight in front of 7,014 at Humphrey Coliseum. Guard Santiago Vescovi added 11 points with seven assists and five rebounds.

Freshman Brandon Huntley-Hartfield started for Nkamhoua, who was averaging 8.6 points and 5.6 rebounds with 25 blocked shots through 22 starts. Huntley-Hartfield scored just four points in 14 minutes, but he had the backing of his teammates.

"We had thought of a lot of different combinations," Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said. "We really put a lot of thought into it. But to be quite honest with you, Josiah, Santi, those guys, they told Brandon, 'We're going to tell coach to start you.' I like that those guys did that. That's what I like about this group. Now, they're starting to take ownership. It's their team."

Guard Zakai Zeigler added 11 points and five steals off the bench and made 6-of-6 free throws. Four of those came over the last 47 seconds.

"When they start talking and making suggestions like that, it gives you really nice feelings as a coaching staff," Barnes said.

Mississippi State's Cameron Matthews hit a layup with 4:20 to go for a 61-61 tie, but Tennessee scored 11 of the game's next 13 points. Chandler hit a layup, followed by a Vescovie 3-pointer off an assist by Zeigler, who closed the game with a layup and the four free throws.

Iverson Molinar led State (14-9, 5-5) with 16 points, and Garrison Brooks added 15.

In other games Wednesday, Florida won its fourth straight, 72-63 at home over Georgia and Alabama won 97-83 at Ole Miss behind career highs from Jaden Shackelford in points (30) and 3-pointers (8).

SATURDAY'S GAMES (All times eastern)

Texas A&M (15-9, 4-7) at No. 1 Auburn (22-2, 10-1), Noon, ESPN

Arkansas (19-5, 8-3) at Alabama (15-9, 5-6), Noon, SEC Network

South Carolina (13-10, 4-7) at Georgia (6-18, 1-10), 2 p.m., SEC Network

Florida (16-8, 6-5) at No. 5 Kentucky (20-4, 9-2), 4 p.m., ESPN

Vanderbilt (13-10, 5-6) at No. 19 Tennessee (17-6, 8-3), 6 p.m., SEC Network

Mississippi State (14-9, 5-5) at LSU (17-7, 5-6), 8 p.m., ESPN2

Ole Miss (12-12, 3-8) at Missouri (9-14, 3-7), 8:30 p.m., SEC Network