Things just could not be any better for the Tennessee Vols basketball team right now. Ranked the No. 1 team in the country, UT hosted No. 23 Arkansas for the SEC opener on Saturday and they had no issues at all taking down the Razorbacks.
Chaz Lanier led the way with a season-high 29 points, while Tennessee dominated things around the glass. With the victory, Tennessee has improved to 14-0 on the season. With that perfect mark, Tennessee has started 14-0 for the first time since the 1922-23 campaign. This just goes to show how special this season has been for Rick Barnes and his players.
JUST. KEEP. WINNING.
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) January 4, 2025
No. 1 Tennessee opens SEC play with a dominant win over No. 23 Arkansas 😤 @Vol_Hoops pic.twitter.com/9oa6ioqnri
Tennessee hoops is 14-0 for the first time since the 1922-23 season
Remember when people thought this would be a rebuilding year for Tennessee due to Dalton Knecht, the SEC Player of the Year, making his way to the NBA? Well, Barnes has retooled via the portal once again and guys are stepping up.
We can't say enough good things about Lanier, as he is looking like one of the top players in the country. He drilled five 3-pointers against Arkansas. Whenever he has the ball in his hands, he's a threat to drill a shot no matter where he is on the floor.
Elsewhere, Igor Milicic Jr. has been brilliant to watch, getting the job done on both ends of the floor for Barnes. In addition to stout defense, Milicic is a beast with rebounds and he can knock down shots for this team too.
Against Arkansas, the big man scored 13 points and posted a career-high 18 rebounds. Those are some tremendous stats for him. Things indeed have been stellar for Tennessee and the team has every right to be excited about the rest of the year. It could prove to be a season to remember for Barnes and the Vols.