In the Sweet 16 matchup between Tennessee and Creighton, the Vols secured an 82-75 win to advance to the Elite Eight. The game started off as a close contest, with Creighton leading 35-34 at halftime. However, Tennessee’s defense and 3-point shooting came alive in the second half as they went on an 18-0 run to take control of the game and build a 55-39 lead. Creighton struggled to respond to the aggressive Vols defense, missing shots and committing turnovers.
Creighton managed to claw their way back into the game by switching to a zone defense that flustered the Tennessee offense. They cut the deficit to three points at one point, but ultimately, the Vols closed out the game on a 17-13 run to secure the victory. The win sets Tennessee up for a showdown against No. 1 seed Purdue in the Midwest regional final. The matchup will pit Purdue’s elite offense against Tennessee’s strong defense.
Dalton Knecht led the way for Tennessee with 24 points, five rebounds, five assists, two steals, and one block, without committing a turnover. Zakai Zeigler contributed 18 points and six assists while Josiah-Jordan James added 17 points. The Vols were efficient with the ball, committing only four turnovers on the night, while shooting 11-of-24 from 3-point range. This combination of ball security and sharp shooting proved too much for Creighton to overcome.
Creighton put up a strong fight, shooting 11-of-23 from beyond the arc. Baylor Scheierman led the game with 25 points, while Steven Ashworth and Ryan Kalkbrenner added 16 and 14 points respectively. Trey Alexander had a tough shooting night, going 3-of-12 from the field. Despite their efforts, Creighton’s turnovers and Tennessee’s ball security ultimately made the difference in the game.
The Elite Eight berth for Tennessee marks just the second in program history and the first since 2010. The Vols will face a tough opponent in Purdue, as they look to advance to the Final Four. Tennessee’s strong defense and efficient offense have carried them this far in the tournament, and they will look to continue their success against the Boilermakers. The win over Creighton was a hard-fought battle, but the Vols proved that they have what it takes to compete at the highest levels of college basketball.
