LOUISVILLE, Ky. — In a commanding performance, Chaz Lanier and Zakai Zeigler contributed significantly to No. 12 Tennessee’s dominant 77-55 victory over Louisville on Saturday, each scoring 19 points. The Volunteers showcased their strength by limiting the Cardinals to a mere 27% shooting percentage during the contest.
Tennessee (2-0) displayed superiority on the boards, outpacing Louisville 40-26, with 28 of those rebounds coming defensively. Moreover, they excelled in the paint, outscoring the Cardinals 40-10, marking the first face-off between the two teams since 2018. After quickly establishing a 10-0 lead within the first five minutes, the Volunteers maintained a substantial advantage throughout the game, at one point leading by over 20 points, even as Louisville (1-1) briefly narrowed the gap to 47-38 early in the second half.
Zakai Zeigler’s performance included seven successful field goals out of 13 attempts, four of which came from three-point range, while Lanier converted seven of 15 shots and sank three from long distance. Tennessee was particularly effective from beyond the arc, making 10 of their 19 attempts for a 53% shooting rate.
For Louisville, Reyne Smith provided a spark off the bench, contributing 18 points, but the team struggled overall, hitting just 16 of their 60 attempts. They managed to sink only 10 of 39 shots from three-point territory, resulting in a low 26% shooting from long range.
The Volunteers exhibited notable speed and athleticism on both sides of the court, aggressively attacking the basket on offense while effectively defending the lane. Although Tennessee faced challenges with ball control, tallying 20 turnovers, their defensive tenacity meant that Louisville could only capitalize on those mistakes for 12 points.
Conversely, the Cardinals struggled to maintain possession early on and faced difficulties getting quality shots against Tennessee’s defense. This frequent pressure often forced them into long-range attempts, which were often unsuccessful, except for a brief moment in the second half where they managed to close within single digits.
A pivotal moment in the game occurred when Louisville closed the deficit to nine points with 13:17 left on the clock. Tennessee responded with a 12-2 run over the next four minutes, effectively shutting down any hopes of a comeback.
A key statistic from the game was Tennessee’s ability to score 20 points stemming from 15 turnovers committed by Louisville.
Looking ahead, Tennessee will host Montana on Wednesday night, while Louisville will take a break before facing crosstown rival Bellarmine on November 19.