No. 17 Tennessee 85, Rutgers 60
How it Happened: Vols guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie scored a career-high 32 points as he made three triples in the first 5:56 and scored 17 of the Volunteers’ first 27 points as Tennessee took a 27-15 lead with 8:33 remaining in the first half. The Vols controlled the game behind their patented tough defense in holding the Scarlet Knights to only 37 percent while controlling the boards, 43-28.
Inside the Orange: Nate Ament followed Gillespie with 20 points, scoring 17 in the first half as Tennessee bolted to a 56-30 halftime lead. Nate Okpara and JP Estrella had 10 each as the Volunteers also controlled the inside.
Knightly Nation: Dylan Grant (16.6 ppg) and Tariq Francis (14.8 ppg)came in as the Knights’ top two scorers, but Tennessee’s defense held them to 10 and eight points and also held them below their average on field goal attempts. The Vols had 23 points off of 14 Rutgers turnovers and a 21-1o scoring advantage on the offensive glass.
Rick Barnes on his backcourt: “I thought Ja’Kobi was terrific, continues to do what we need them to do, learning how to run the point for our team, but tomorrow (vs. No. 2 Houston) there’s no doubt that he’ll have a lot of pressure pushed his way, along with Nate.”
Up Next: Vols vs. Houston; Scarlet Knights vs. Notre Dame
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No. 21 Auburn 84, Oregon 73
How it Happened: Oregon guard Kwame Evans, Jr., scored on a layup to give the Ducks a 59-58 lead with 10:49 remaining. Auburn hit the Ducks with a decisive 10-0 run after Elyjah Freeman’s layup gave the Tigers a 68-59 lead with 6:26 remaining. Auburn held Oregon to only 1-of-8 from the field over the next 6:35 to take the 84-73 victory. 
Auburn guard Tahaad Pettiford dominated backcourt play with 24 points on 9-of-18 shooting with four assists and four rebounds in 29 minutes.
Tiger Tales: Guard Keyshawn Hall was back from injury as he scored 18 points and logged six assists in 36 minutes. Hall and Pettiford are one of the nation’s top guard duos and work well together as the leaders in a solid 10-man rotation, where each player has made contributions in the 5-1 start. Elyjah Freeman, who transferred from Division-II Lincoln-Memorial University, recorded eight points, six rebounds, and four steals.
Paddling Furiously: The Ducks outrebounded Auburn, 46-34, as they outscored the Tigers, 22-16, off the offensive glass. Point guard Jackson Shelstad is one of the toughest matchups in the nation, and although he came in averaging 18.3 ppg, Auburn held him to nine points as he was only 1-of-11 from three-point range, and he dished eight assists. Takai Simpkins led the Ducks with 22 points.
Tahaad Pettiford tells TNT how he elevated his game in tonight’s win: “The first couple games, I came out not playing how I wanted to play, so I just stayed composed and stayed in the gym and you know my teammates and coaches had my back throughout the whole thing, and today was just the day that it needed to be shown.”
Next Up: Oregon battles San Diego State; Auburn faces Michigan
No. 12 Gonzaga 95, No. 8 Alabama 85
How it Happened: Alabama led 75-74 before Gonzaga guard Steele Venters hit a three and Tyron Grant-Foster hit a couple of free throws to give the Zags an 86-74 lead en route to the 95-85 win. Center Graham Ike matched Grant-Foster’s 21 points while Gonzaga scored on 45 of their 74 possession.
Kennel Club: Gonzaga outrebounded Alabama, 48-36, with the Bulldogs outscoring the Tide, 25-10, on the offensive glass. Gonzaga’s zone defense stymied the Tide in the second half as Alabama took a 17-15 lead with 11:08 to play before halftime and nursed the advantage until Braden Huff’s layup slid the Bulldogs into the lead with 4:03 left.
All Tide Up: Guard Labaron Philon led the Crimson Tide with 29 points as his speed and playmaking ability caused problems for the Zags’ guards in many different areas. Philon scored Alabama’s first nine points to start the second half. Gonzaga scored on 6-of-9 possessions and took a 60-51 lead before Aden Holloway capped a 21-9 Bama run, which saw the Crimson Tide lead 71-69 with 7:01 to play.
Coach Nate Oats on guard Labaron Philon’s impact on the game: “Our starting 3/4/5 had 16 points, and theirs had 60,” said Oats, in his postgame visit with reporters. “We can’t ask Labaron Philon to score 40 to win the game,” Oats said. “It would be nice if he’d grab a rebound or take care of the ball better.”
Up Next: Alabama entertains San Diego State as Gonzaga matches up with Maryland.
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While in Maui …
Arizona State 87, Texas 86:
How it Happened: The Longhorns trailed 39-34 at halftime before Lithuanian big man Matas Vokietaitis led Texas with six points as the Longhorns went 9-0f-9 over the first 4:49 of the first half to take a 54-50 lead. Arizona State still trailed 76-66 with 7:13 to play, but guard Moe Odum scored 13 of the Sun Devils’ last 17 points and hit a triple with 10 seconds left to lift ASU to the 87-86 victory
Desert Sun: Odum (18.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 6.5 apg) finished with 36 points as he made 6-of-12 three-point field goals and 16-of-18 free throws. Defensively, the Sun Devils converted 18 points off of 19 Longhorns’ turnovers, although Texas enjoyed a 46-40 advantage in the paint.
Deep in the Heart of Maui: In the last 7:13, Texas was 0-of-1 from the field while missing all five free throws and committing six turnovers. Arizona State spread the Texas defense and attacked with a myriad of high-ball screens in that last 7:13. Dailyn Swain led the Longhorns with 24 points as he was 10-0f-14 from the field, where Texas shot 55 percent.
Up Next: The Sun Devils play Washington State in the Maui semifinals while Texas matches up with Chaminade.
