KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — In an exciting matchup, the No. 4 ranked Tennessee Volunteers emerged victorious with an 85-81 win over No. 15 Missouri on Wednesday night, powered by the impressive performances of Zakai Zeigler and Igor Milicic, who each contributed 21 points to the scoreboard.
Returning to the lineup after missing the previous game against Florida—Zeigler due to a knee injury and Milicic due to illness—Zeigler also tallied eight assists, while Milicic secured 10 rebounds, showcasing their pivotal roles in the victory. The Volunteers are now 19-4 overall and hold a 6-4 record in the Southeastern Conference after successfully navigating a challenging stretch of five consecutive opponents ranked in the top 15, finishing with a 3-2 record during this run.
Missouri’s Tamar Bates led his team with 22 points, supported by Tony Perkins with 16 and Caleb Grill adding 11 points. The Tigers faced difficulties early on, failing to score for more than five minutes into the game. Perkins came through for Missouri, scoring 11 of the team’s first 13 points, which helped position them with a 34-28 lead at halftime.
From the analysis of the game, Missouri has relied heavily on Grill, who averaged 17 points over his previous five games, helping to fuel their aggressive defensive strategy that has troubled opponents. On the other hand, Tennessee’s inconsistency has been a concern, as they displayed a lackluster performance in their loss to Kentucky but rebounded with a more focused effort to secure victory against Florida.
A key moment during the game occurred in the second half when Tennessee took the lead for the first time. Chaz Lanier started the comeback with a 3-pointer, followed by a tip-in from Felix Okpara, and Zeigler capped it off with another 3-pointer, pushing the Volunteers ahead 59-53.
One significant stat from the night was Tennessee’s exceptional perimeter shooting, where they converted 10 out of 15 attempts from beyond the arc, highlighting their offensive potency.
Looking ahead, both teams are set to return to the court this Saturday, with Missouri scheduled to host Texas A&M, while Tennessee will travel to face Oklahoma.
