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PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas — Santiago Vescovi scored 20 factors whereas No. 22 Tennessee locked down on third-ranked Kansas to beat the reigning nationwide champions 64-50 in Friday night time’s championship sport on the Battle 4 Atlantis.
Vescovi hit 5 3-pointers to drive the offense for the Volunteers (5-1), who dominated the glass, overcame their very own turnover troubles and made the Jayhawks work for clear seems. And for the third time in as many days, Tennessee gained regardless of not having main scorer Josiah-Jordan James as a consequence of knee soreness.
This win led to a title and Vescovi being picked because the event’s most precious participant.
The Jayhawks did not have a straightforward first two days within the Bahamas. First got here a battle to the ultimate minutes with North Carolina State. Then got here Thursday’s extra time win towards Wisconsin on Bobby Pettiford Jr.’s last-second putback. However they by no means regarded in any kind of offensive movement this time, ending a 17-game profitable streak courting to final yr’s run to educate Invoice Self’s second NCAA title.
The Vols held the Jayhawks to 32.1% capturing, bothering them with measurement and size across the rim. And so they confirmed the toughness to take the ball proper on the Jayhawks with 5-foot-9 sophomore guard Zakai Zeigler main the best way.
Zeigler had 14 factors, together with a 3-pointer to beat the shot clock on the 7-minute mark to push Tennessee’s result in 56-38. He adopted with one other massive one from the appropriate wing with 4:42 left after Kansas had closed inside 11.
Jalen Wilson and Joseph Yesufu every scored 14 factors to steer the Jayhawks (6-1), who shot 28.6% within the first half and by no means warmed up. They made 5 of 21 3-pointers in what was an all-around tough night time, from shedding beginning guard Dajuan Harris to fouls with 9 minutes left to failing to maintain the Vols off the glass (45-27).
The Volunteers opened the event with a win over Butler, then grinded via an extra time win towards Southern California in Thursday’s semifinals behind a giant sport from first-year ahead Julian Phillips. However issues had been by some means simpler on Friday, with Tennessee enjoying in entrance all the manner en path to its first title in three tries on the Atlantis resort.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
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