Tennessee Volunteers Defeat Rice Owls 91-66 in Dominant Fashion

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee men’s basketball team secured a strong victory against Rice, defeating the Owls 91-66 Monday night at Food City Center. This win improves Tennessee’s record to 4-0, while Rice falls to 2-3.

Senior forward played a pivotal role for the No. 20/17 Volunteers, scoring a game-high 20 points and grabbing eight rebounds. The Volunteers maintained control throughout the game, leading from the opening tip.

Tennessee’s defense set the tone early, restricting Rice to just one basket on its first nine shots in the first six and a half minutes. The Volunteers built a solid 21-9 lead midway through the first half. Despite a brief comeback attempt by Rice, which closed the gap to five points, the Volunteers responded with a defensive surge, forcing the Owls to miss nine consecutive shots and extending their lead to 36-22.

The lead was 39-26 at halftime, with Tennessee shooting 53.1% compared to Rice’s 24.1%. Rice’s leading scorer, Tre Broadnax, struggled in the first half, going 0-for-11 from the floor.

After Rice opened the second half with a three-pointer, Tennessee answered with a 9-2 run. Senior guard capped this run with a three-pointer, putting the Volunteers ahead by 17 points at 48-31.

The Volunteers’ lead grew to 20 points for the first time with 7:47 remaining, thanks to a strong offensive outing that saw them push the margin as high as 26 points. Freshman forward added to the score with a three-point play that made it 83-57 late in the game.

Okpara‘s performance marked his first 20-point game, shooting an impressive 8-of-10 from the field. He also contributed four free throws and two assists. Ament achieved his first collegiate double-double with 19 points and a career-high 10 rebounds, while senior guard added 17 points and eight assists, leading all players in assists.

On the Owls’ side, Nick Anderson led with 19 points, while Cam Carroll and Jalen Smith scored 14 and 10 points, respectively. Broadnax finished the game with just five points, missing all 16 of his field-goal attempts, an unusual feat in Division I basketball.

The Volunteers dominated in the paint with a 52-16 edge and secured 47 rebounds compared to Rice’s 31. This victory marked Tennessee’s 40th consecutive non-conference home win and their third straight victory by over 25 points.

Tennessee will conclude its five-game homestand on Thursday at 7 p.m. against Tennessee State, a game that will be available on SEC Network.