Tennessee basketball: Vols 2019-2020 top 10 individual game performances

8. Jordan Bowden vs. Murray State Racers

26 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assists

Tennessee wins 82-63

Sometimes red-hot scoring nights, even against inferior opponents, earn recognition for being an elite performance. Tennessee basketball was hosting a Murray State Racers team early in the season that didn’t have Ja Morant anymore, but it was still a solid mid-major program. After all, they did finish 21-9 and 16-4 in their conference, so they were dangerus.

Jordan Bowden, however, did his part to make sure this team would not be a threat at all. Showing that he was ready to take over as the main scorer with Grant William, Admiral Schofield and Jordan Bone all gone, Bowden finished the game with 26 points. He did have two rebounds and one assist, but his scoring, which was on fire early in the year, was the story.

From the field, Bowden shot eight-of-15. He hit four-of-five free throws. The big story, however, was what he did from beyond the arc. Bowden hit six of his eight three-point attempts in one of those nights where he just couldn’t miss, and that’s what got him to 26 points. He was a star from the outside in just 26 minutes of action, orchestrating a blowout in the process.

Most of the damage by Bowden was in the second half. UT was clinging to a 44-35 lead at halftime, as Bowden’s minutes were limited in the first half due to foul trouble. He scored 19 points in the second half, though, and with Murray State within two scores in the final five minutes, Bowden put the game out of reach with back to back three-pointers.