Tennessee basketball opened the 2025 Players Era Championship in Las Vegas with a resounding win over Rutgers. The Vols entered the game with a perfect 5-0 record, while the Scarlet Knights came in at 4-1, but it was clear from the tip that Tennessee was the better team.
The Vols ran away with this game, winning by 25 points, beating Rutgers 85-60. Freshman forward Nate Ament and transfer guard Ja'Kobi Gillespie dominantly led the Vols, combining for 52 points, nearly outscoring the entire Rutgers squad by themselves.
Tennessee shot lights out, finishing the game shooting 51% from the field and 50% from three-point range. Tennessee's starters combined to shoot 65% from three, and three of the five starters that recorded a three-point shot all averaged above 50% in the game.
That's the type of offense Tennessee fans have been looking forward to from Rick Barnes's squad to start the year. We've seen single players put together strong games, but this was one of the most dominant offensive performances we've seen in the Barnes era.
Tennessee's bigs showed out defensively and in the rebound category. Between Felix Okpara, Cade Phillips, and J.P. Estrella, the Scarlet Knights struggled to do anything in the paint.
The Vols grabbed 43 rebounds in the game, 15 more than Rutgers. This is an area Tennessee has dominated to start the year, averaging 20 more rebounds than its opponents.
If Tennessee can stay close to this type of shooting performance and continue to dominate the glass, the Vols could be a very dangerous team this season.
The Vols' real test in Vegas will come on Tuesday as they suit up against the team that eliminated them from the Elite 8 last season. That game is set for a 6:00 PM ET tip-off as the Vols look to continue their momentum in Las Vegas.