Vanderbilt Stuns Tennessee In Overtime Thriller
Vanderbilt Stuns Tennessee In Overtime Thriller...
Vanderbilt pulled off a dramatic 85-82 overtime upset against No. 5 Tennessee on Tuesday night, snapping the Volunteers' eight-game winning streak in a sold-out Memorial Gymnasium. The Commodores' victory marks their first win over a top-5 opponent since 2016 and reshapes the SEC tournament picture with March Madness looming.
Sophomore guard Paul Lewis scored a career-high 25 points, including the go-ahead three-pointer with 1:12 left in overtime. Tennessee's Dalton Knecht, the SEC's leading scorer, was held to just 18 points on 6-of-18 shooting as Vanderbilt's defense clamped down in critical moments.
The game is trending nationally as Tennessee (23-6, 13-3 SEC) was projected as a potential No. 1 NCAA tournament seed before the loss. Vanderbilt (9-20, 4-12) entered as 17-point underdogs but delivered head coach Jerry Stackhouse his signature win in five seasons.
Social media erupted after the final buzzer, with #VandyvsUT trending on Twitter. The upset comes exactly one year after Vanderbilt's last win over Tennessee on March 1, 2023. ESPN's "College GameDay" had featured the rivalry earlier this season when Tennessee won 75-62 in Knoxville.
Tennessee coach Rick Barnes called it "a wake-up call" for his team with postseason play approaching. The Volunteers now trail Alabama by half a game in the SEC standings with two regular-season games remaining. Vanderbilt plays at Florida on Saturday while Tennessee hosts Kentucky in a nationally televised matchup.
Analysts note this loss could cost Tennessee a No. 1 seed if they don't win the SEC tournament. For Vanderbilt, the victory provides momentum despite a disappointing season. The Commodores had lost 10 of their last 11 games before Tuesday's breakthrough.
Memorial Gymnasium's unique raised floor and bench configuration played a factor, with Tennessee committing 16 turnovers. The 111-year-old venue recorded its loudest decibel levels of the season during Vanderbilt's 12-0 second-half run that forced overtime.
Ticket resale prices for Saturday's Tennessee-Kentucky game dropped 18% within hours of the upset, according to TickPick data. The result also impacted betting markets, with Tennessee's national championship odds slipping from +900 to +1100 at DraftKings Sportsbook.
