Tennessee gets road win over LSU

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Posted 6:34AM on Thursday, January 31, 2002

BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA - Before the game, Tennessee coach Buzz Peterson told his team they would get their first Southeastern Conference road victory of the year Wednesday night. Vincent Yarbrough went out and proved the coach right. Yarbrough scored 24 points, including Tennessee's first 15, and the Volunteers never trailed in a 61-58 victory over LSU. ``Our goal was to get an SEC road victory,'' said Peterson. "Vincent played his best game of the year and we got it.'' The victory, Tennessee's first Southeastern Conference win on the road this season, was the Vols' fourth victory in their last five games. Tennessee (10-10, 3-4), was 0-2 in conference road games before Wednesday night. ``The coach wrote on the board before the game, `Tonight we'll win our first SEC road game,'' Yarbrough said. LSU (12-8, 2-6) is 1-5 on the road this season, but was undefeated at home. ``I thought we did a lot of good things,'' LSU coach John Brady said. ``We just didn't make enough baskets to win.'' Yarbrough made 9 of 18 from the field, including 5 of 10 from 3-point range. He also had nine rebounds and two blocks. ``I got some open shots,'' Yarbrough said. ``But everyone played well.'' Jon Higgins had 10 points and six assists for Tennessee. Ronald Dupree led LSU with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Collis Temple had 12 points and Torris Bright scored 11. Tennessee took the lead less than a minute into the game. The Tigers rallied in the second half, but scored just two field goals in the last 10:39. In their first six games, the Vols made almost 47 percent of their 3-point attempts, but they had struggled from that range ever since, dropping to just 29 percent in the last 13 games. They regained their touch against LSU, making 9 of 19, 6 of 13 in the first half. Yarbrough had 16 points in the first half, including 4 of 8 from 3-point range. The Tigers opened the game by missing their first eight shots from the field and scored only two points on Brad Bridgewater's free throws to trail 5-2 at the 15:17 mark. Tennessee made only 2-of-6 shots to start the game including a three pointer by Yarbrough. Tennessee led 35-28 at the half. LSU opened the second half with a 9-3 run, including a basket by Bright, originally ruled a 2-pointer, but changed to a 3-pointer after the officials watched the replay several times by the television announcers, finally watched the big screen and made the decision. Yarbrough hit his fifth 3-point basket of the game with 14:44 left, putting Tennessee up 41-37. LSU tied the score 48-48 on a 3-pointer by Dupree with 10:30 left. The Tigers did not score another field goal until Dupree hit with four minutes remaining to cut Tennessee's lead to 53-50. A pair of free throws by Bridgewater pulled LSU to within one at 53-52 with 2:39 to go. After a dunk by Yarbrough made it 55-52 Tennessee at the 2:14 mark, Bright missed a pair of foul shots. Jenis Grindstaff's shot was slapped away by Temple, who came up with the ball and a foul. He made one of two to cut Tennessee's lead to 55-53 with 1:12 left. Jon Higgins scored with 37 seconds left, putting the Vols ahead 58-53. After a time out, LSU worked it under the basket to Temple, who moved LSU to within three points at 58-55. Thaydeus Holden was fouled and made one free throw to make it 59-55 Tennessee. After Antonio Hudson slipped on a wet spot on the floor and was called for traveling, Higgins added another foul shot for the Volunteers, making it 60-55 with 10 seconds remaining. Hudson hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key to pull LSU within two points at 58-60 with 2.7 seconds left, then Holden's free thrown iced it for Tennessee.