Lanier scores 22 points as No. 1 Tennessee beats Miami 75-62 at Jimmy V Classic

Chaz Lanier scored 22 points, and No. 1 Tennessee beat struggling Miami 75-62 on Tuesday night at the Jimmy V Classic in Madison Square Garden
Tennessee players react during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Miami, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Credit: AP

Credit: AP

Tennessee players react during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Miami, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

NEW YORK (AP) — Chaz Lanier scored 22 points, and No. 1 Tennessee beat struggling Miami 75-62 on Tuesday night at the Jimmy V Classic in Madison Square Garden.

Igor Milicic Jr. added 16 and nine rebounds for the Volunteers, who took the top spot in the AP Top 25 this week for the first time since February 2019. Zakai Zeigler added 13 points and nine assists for Tennessee, which pulled away late in the first half and withstood a Miami comeback attempt for its first 9-0 start since 2000-01.

Lynn Kidd scored 14 as the Hurricanes (3-8) dropped their seventh straight game. Nyjel Pack added 12 and AJ Station-McCray added 11 for Miami, which shot 39.3%.

The Hurricanes held a two-point lead on a hook shot by Kidd with 7:52 remaining in the first half. The Volunteers never trailed after Ziegler hit three free throws 30 seconds later to start a 14-0 run.

Takeaways

Tennessee: The Volunteers won their ninth straight by double digits and looked the part of a top-ranked team.

Miami: The Hurricanes started decently by making four of their first seven 3s but finished 8 of 33.

Key moment

Miami made a comeback and cut the deficit to 63-56 with 5:36 left but Milicic hit an open 3 nearly a minute later and Lanier coasted in for a layup to put the Volunteers back up by double digits on the next possession.

Key stat

Tennessee made 10 3-pointers, the third straight game it hit at least 10 and fifth time overall.

Up next

The Volunteers play their second game as the top-ranked team when they visit Illinois on Saturday. The Hurricanes host Presbyterian on Sunday.

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This story has been corrected to fix the Tennessee player's name to Lanier.

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Miami guard Matthew Cleveland (0) Tennessee forward Igor Milicic Jr. (7) and Miami guard Paul Djobet (10) reach for the ball during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

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Miami center Lynn Kidd (1), left, and guard Matthew Cleveland (0), right, guard Tennessee forward Felix Okpara (34), center, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

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Tennessee forward Cade Phillips dribbles during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Miami, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

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Miami forwards Xander Alarie (8) and Isaiah Johnson-Arigu (4) and guard Paul Djobet (10) react during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Tennessee, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

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Tennessee guards Zakai Zeigler (5), left, and Chaz Lanier (2), right, high five during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Miami, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

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