A rollercoaster, a whirlwind, a thriller, an instant classic… All four phrases can be used to describe the game between Tennessee and Georgia from Saturday afternoon in Athens.
While it wasn’t pretty for good portions of the game, No. 5 Tennessee survived a dogfight against Georgia to win the game 85-79 in Athens, Georgia. Tennessee’s win over Georgia stops the Vols from a two-game losing streak and puts Tennessee back over .500 in conference play.
The biggest reason for Tennessee’s win on Saturday was guard Dalton Knecht. The former Northern Colorado transfer was dynamite in Athens, scoring 36 points on the night with 20 points coming in the second half of play. Knecht finished the game with five three-pointers, four rebounds, and three assists in another marquee road performance.
Tennessee forward Jonas Aidoo also bounced back on Saturday after a lackluster game against Mississippi State in Starkville this past week. Aidoo was a defensive force for the Vols with 15 rebounds and 10 points on the night. Aidoo also threw in (or, better yet, threw out) five blocks on the day as Tennessee’s primary rim-stopper against the Bulldogs.
After the dust had settled from the final four minutes of the game, Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes met with the media to discuss his reaction to the game. Barnes spoke about Knecht’s resilience, the importance of Jonas Aidoo defensively, the play of Santiago Vescovi and Josiah-Jordan James, and much more. Additionally, Tennessee also had Dalton Knecht and Jonas Aidoo speak to the media before the trip back to Knoxville as well.
More from RTI: Four Quick Takeaways as Tennessee Survives A Thriller At Georgia
Tennessee Basketball: Everything Rick Barnes Said After Tennessee’s Whirlwind Victory At Georgia
Check out both interviews from Saturday in Athens below:
HC Rick Barnes
G Dalton Knecht, F Jonas Aidoo
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