Tennessee basketball: Grant Williams’ 10 greatest games with Vols

8. Dec. 15, 2016 vs. Lipscomb Bisons

Tennessee: 92 Lipscomb: 77

Grant Williams stat line: 30 points, 6 rebounds, 2 blocks, 1 steal

It was only against Lipscomb, so we need to be a little clear about the importance of this game. But it was the first game that gave us a glimpse into what Tennessee basketball would have with Grant Williams being a go-to guy.

After a 5-4 start, UT was getting some momentum in Rick Barnes’s second year. They had barely lost to the North Carolina Tar Heels less than a week earlier, and Lipscomb was a chance for them to get an easy win.

Williams went out of his way to make it easier. His first 30-point game of the year was notable enough. Up to that point, as just a freshman, he had only hit double-figures in three of the first nine games.

But this game showed that Barnes had something special to build on for the future. More impressive than his scoring, though, was his insane efficiency underneath the basket. His 30 points and six rebounds came with less than 30 minutes of play.

On top of that, Williams was 10-of-12 from the field, good for over 80 percent, and he added another 10 free throws on 13 attempts. Yes, he shot 77 percent from the foul line and still was more efficient from the field. As an undersized power forward, that became the nature of his game. And he would put it on display many more times in the future.