COLLEGE STATION, TX – The Texas A&M Aggies struggled to contain Tennessee’s Chaz Lanier, as the Volunteers secured a 77-69 win on Saturday at Reed Arena.
Lanier, a freshman guard, was unstoppable for the Vols, scoring a season-high 30 points on 11-of-18 shooting from the field, including 4-of-7 from three-point range. He also added 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals in 35 minutes of action.
“Chaz was incredible tonight,” said Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes. “He made some big shots for us, and his defense was outstanding. He’s a guy who can take over a game, and he did that tonight.”
The Aggies (18-6, 7-4 SEC) had no answer for Lanier, as he consistently broke down their defense and got to the rim. Texas A&M’s Wade Taylor IV led the team with 22 points, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Lanier’s dominant performance.
“We knew Lanier was a good player, but we didn’t do a good job of containing him,” said Texas A&M head coach Buzz Williams. “He’s a tough matchup, and we struggled to keep him in front of us.”
The Vols (20-4, 9-2 SEC) got off to a strong start, building a 10-point lead in the first half. However, the Aggies fought back to tie the game at 35-35 at halftime.
In the second half, Tennessee used a 10-2 run to build a 55-47 lead with 12:45 remaining. The Aggies cut the deficit to 3 points with 2:30 left, but Lanier scored 5 straight points to put the Vols up 75-67 with 1:15 remaining.
Texas A&M’s Julius Marble added 18 points and 7 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Vols’ balanced attack.
“We’re disappointed with the loss, but we’re proud of our guys for the way they fought,” said Williams. “We’ll learn from this and get ready for our next game.”
The Vols’ win marked their fifth straight, and it was their first win at Reed Arena since 2014. Tennessee also improved to 5-2 against ranked opponents this season.
“We’re proud of our guys for the way they played tonight,” said Barnes. “We knew it was going to be a tough game, but they rose to the occasion. We’re looking forward to getting back home and preparing for our next game.”
The Vols will return to action on Wednesday, hosting the Vanderbilt Commodores at Thompson-Boling Arena.
In the meantime, the Aggies will look to regroup and refocus after a tough loss. They’ll face a tough test on Wednesday, hosting the Arkansas Razorbacks at Reed Arena.
_Game Stats:_
– Tennessee: Chaz Lanier (30 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists), Josiah-Jordan James (15 points, 7 rebounds), Olivier Nkamhoua (12 points, 5 rebounds)
– Texas A&M: Wade Taylor IV (22 points, 5 rebounds), Julius Marble (18 points, 7 rebounds)
_Game Notes:_
– Tennessee’s 5-game winning streak is their longest of the season.
– Chaz Lanier’s 30 points were a season-high.
– The Vols’ win marked their first at Reed Arena since 2014.
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