Tennessee basketball's offense exploded against Oklahoma after back-to-back close games in conference play. The Vols beat ranked SEC opponents Florida and Missouri before dominating Oklahoma 70-52.
Chaz Lanier and Zakai Zeigler continue to play lights out on the offensive end of the court. Zeigler is the locker room leader, and his work ethic on the court shows. Lanier, on the other hand, is starting to click against SEC opponents.
Zeigler finished the game with 17 points, while Lanier finished with 21 points, leading the Tennessee offense. Their combined 38 points guided Tennessee to an easy win on the road, which has come at a premium this year with a deep conference.
Tennessee's defense also showed its prowess, shutting down Oklahoma to only 52 points, which is the Sooners' lowest point total of the season. If it wasn't for a late run on offense, the Sooners would not have crossed the 50-point mark.
The Vols' have made their presence known in the paint on both ends of the court. Felix Okpara and Cade Phillips have proven to be a pair of players that can compete with any group of bigs in the country.
Tennessee has started to build some momentum from game to game, which could be coming at the perfect time as we get close to March. Rick Barnes' defense is coming together, and the offense is starting to perform more consistently
The Vols' offensive explosion and dominant defense have shown how dangerous they can be against anyone in the country. They are deserving of their No. 4 ranking and have proven they can make a Final Four run if they can play the way they have been the past couple of weeks.
Tennessee's gauntlet schedule continues next week with rivalry matchups against Kentucky and Vanderbilt. We are now one month away from the start of postseason play.