National Basketball Association
BOXSCORE | RECAP
Texas A&M 68, Tennessee 63
When: 7:00 PM ET, Tuesday, February 21, 2023
Where: Reed Arena, College Station, Texas
Officials: # Ron Groover, # Brian Dorsey, # Pat Adams
Attendance: 12989

Sophomore Wade Taylor IV matched a career high with 25 points and junior Julius Marble scored a personal-best 21 as host No. 25 Texas A&M won its sixth straight game, defeating No. 11 Tennessee 68-63 on Tuesday in College Station, Texas.

Marble also had nine rebounds and Taylor made 16 of the 28 free throws hit by the Aggies (21-7, 13-2 Southeastern Conference), who went to the line 34 times. Tennessee (20-8, 9-6), which lost for the fourth time in five games, finished 10 of 14 at the foul line.

The second-place Aggies, who are a half-game behind Alabama, improved to 14-1 at home.

The Volunteers pulled within 64-63 when Zakai Zeigler (14 points) made a layup with 25 seconds to play. Tennessee then forced a turnover, but Taylor immediately stole the ball back, then knocked down two free throws.

After Zeigler missed on a 3-point attempt that would have tied the score, Taylor sank two more foul shots to seal the win.

Tied 31-31 at halftime, the game stayed closed for the first four minutes of the second half. Tennessee took a 41-40 lead when Tobe Awaka (10 points) sank two free throws with 15:28 remaining. Texas A&M then scored the next 10 points.

Dexter Dennis made baskets on either side of a Marble dunk. A pair of free throws by Marble gave Texas A&M a 50-41 lead.

Santiago Vescovi's 3-pointer with 11:25 to play ended the Aggies' run and began a 15-7 surge for the Volunteers that got them within a point. After a Marble layup put Texas A&M ahead 59-56, Vescovi (14 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists) made driving layup, but Taylor scored, then Marble made a free throw.

Tennessee, which has lost four straight road games, jumped out to a 9-0 lead. The Volunteers led nearly all of the first half, and they were up 27-20 with a little more than four minutes to go before the break.

Texas A&M, though, strung together an 11-2 spurt, highlighted by Tyrece Radford's follow-up basket and Andre Gordon's 3-pointer with 46 seconds remaining that gave the hosts their first lead at 31-29. Awaka, however, scored just before the first-half buzzer.

The Volunteers shot 40 percent for the night, and the Aggies 39.1 percent.

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
 
Tennessee   Texas A&M
Santiago Vescovi 14 Scoring Wade Taylor IV 25
Santiago Vescovi 7 Assists Andre Gordon 3
Santiago Vescovi 10 Rebounds Julius Marble II 9
Tobe Awaka 4 Free Throws Made Wade Taylor IV 16
Santiago Vescovi 3 Steals Wade Taylor IV 4
Jonas Aidoo 2 Blocks Dexter Dennis 1
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
Tennessee 63 40.0 9-31 10-14 19 30 4 9 16
Texas A&M 68 39.1 4-15 28-34 9 30 1 9 14