Michael Allen 
JP Estrella throws down an emphatic one-handed slam in Tennessee's 73-63 victory Saturday night
SEO Meta Description: Tennessee basketball defeated LSU 73-63 at home, led by Nate Ament’s 22 points, but inconsistencies remain as the SEC Tournament approaches.
The Tennessee Volunteers men’s basketball returned home riding momentum from a midweek road win over the Mississippi State Bulldogs men’s basketball, but Saturday night’s matchup with the LSU Tigers men’s basketball left plenty of room for improvement despite a 73-63 victory.
Playing in their annual dark mode game, Tennessee controlled much of the contest but never fully separated from an LSU team the Vols were widely expected to dominate.
Strong Start, But No Separation
Tennessee established control early, leaning on its interior presence to build a lead that stretched to as many as 12 points in the first half. Still, LSU refused to go away.
Despite entering the game near the bottom of the conference in three-point shooting, the Tigers connected on 4-of-10 attempts from deep in the opening half, keeping the game competitive. Tennessee spread the scoring around with seven different players finding the basket, including a key spark off the bench from Ethan Burg, who scored eight points in the half.
The Vols took the lead into the break but never delivered the knockout blow many expected.
Second-Half Push Secures the Win
Tennessee briefly lost control early in the second half, surrendering the lead for the first time and struggling to find rhythm offensively. For much of the opening 10 minutes after halftime, the Vols appeared to be going through the motions.
That changed after the under-12 media timeout.
Tennessee responded with an 8-0 burst to reclaim momentum and stretch the lead to 58-50. From there, LSU continued to battle, but the Vols never relinquished control again, closing out the 10-point victory.
Ament Leads Balanced Effort
Nate Ament once again paced Tennessee with 22 points and nine rebounds, continuing his standout season. JP Estrella added 16 points and nine rebounds of his own, while JaKobe Gillespie contributed 12 points, knocking down four three-pointers.
Tennessee dominated the glass in emphatic fashion, outrebounding LSU 45-24 overall and 16-8 on the offensive boards. Those extra possessions led to 22 second-chance points. The Vols also controlled the paint, outscoring LSU 34-18 inside.
Still Searching for Consistency
While the statistical advantages were clear, Tennessee’s inability to put away an overmatched opponent continues to raise concerns. Inconsistencies on both ends of the floor have allowed lesser opponents to hang around longer than expected — an issue the Vols must address with postseason play approaching.
With the SEC Tournament just weeks away, Tennessee knows it must find more consistency to reach its full potential.
Up Next
The Vols will have another opportunity to sharpen their play Wednesday night when the Oklahoma Sooners men’s basketball visit Food City Center for a 7 p.m. tipoff. Tennessee will look to build momentum — and eliminate lingering inconsistencies — before postseason action begins.
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