The Tennessee Volunteers took over in the second half of Friday’s matchup against the Iowa State Cyclones, winning 76-62 and securing their spot in the Elite 8.
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Both offenses got off to a very slow start and the Cyclones’ issues were amplified by the absence of their top player Joshua Jefferson, who is still recovering from a sprained ankle.
After a gritty back-and-forth first half, the Volunteers led by one.
Tennessee’s inside dominance was on display in the second half, grabbing 43 total rebounds. A 7-0 extended run helped them build a 14-point advantage with just under 12 minutes to play.
Iowa State went on a few small scoring runs in the final 10 minutes, but the Cyclones struggled to bring in rebounds and retake the lead.
For the Volunteers, Felix Okpara put up 12 points, 10 rebounds and 3 blocks while Nate Ament had 18 points and Ja’Kobie Gillespie scored 16 points.
Nate Heise and Tamin Lipsey each had 18 points for the Cyclones.
James Parker is a sports writer for Ball Exclusives, follow him on X @TheJames_Parker
