Chaz Lanier set the tone early, scoring 17 of No. 8 Tennessee’s first 21 points, as the Volunteers never trailed in an 83-72 victory over Texas in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals on Friday. The win not only secured a spot in the semifinals for Tennessee but also marked a historic milestone for head coach Rick Barnes, who earned his 832nd career victory, moving him into sole possession of 10th place on the all-time wins list.
The fourth-seeded Volunteers (26-6) will now face regular-season SEC champion and No. 3-ranked Auburn in the semifinals on Saturday. Auburn advanced with a 62-57 win over Ole Miss earlier in the day.
Lanier was electric to start the game, fueling Tennessee’s offense with an early scoring surge. He finished with 23 points, leading a balanced scoring effort.
Point guard Zakai Zeigler overcame early foul trouble to add 19 points—all in the second half—after being limited to just nine minutes before halftime. Jahmai Mashack contributed 13 points, while Igor Milicic Jr. added 12 for the Vols.
Tennessee led 41-38 at halftime but took control early in the second half, stretching the lead to 65-50 midway through the period. The Volunteers shot 54.5% (12-of-22) after the break, capitalizing on a Texas squad playing its third game in three days.
Texas (19-15), playing in its first SEC Tournament after moving from the Big 12, came in as the 13th seed. The Longhorns had won the Big 12 Tournament twice in the last four years but entered this week on a rough stretch, losing four of their last five regular-season games.
Despite their struggles, Texas fought hard in Nashville, winning two games to keep their NCAA Tournament hopes alive. Kadin Shedrick and Jordan Pope led the Longhorns with 14 points apiece, while freshman Tre Johnson added 11.
With 16:34 left in the second half, Mashack’s putback broke the game’s final tie at 4-4 and set the stage for Tennessee’s dominant stretch. After a quiet first half due to foul trouble, Zeigler took over in the second, scoring all 19 of his points. Vols’ Efficient Shooting: Tennessee shot 54.5% in the second half, pulling away from a fatigued Texas team.
The Vols will face Auburn in the semifinals, seeking revenge for a narrow two-point road loss to the Tigers on Jan. 25. The Longhorns now wait anxiously for Selection Sunday, hoping their SEC Tournament run was enough to secure an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.
With a trip to the SEC Championship game on the line, Tennessee looks to keep its momentum rolling against Auburn in a highly anticipated showdown.
