Tennessee teams earn weekend wins

By JIM VERTUNO

AP Sports Writer

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Zakai Zeigler scored 16 points and No. 1 Tennessee beat Texas 74-70 on Saturday in the Volunteers’ first game since a 30-point blowout loss earlier in the week at No. 8 Florida.

Jordan Gainey’s 3-pointer gave Tennessee a 66-60 lead with 2:41 to play before Zeigler scored the next six points for the Volunteers (15-1, 2-1 SEC), including a reverse layup with 59 seconds left.

Gainey and Darlinstone Dubar each scored 12 for Tennessee, which had been the nation’s last unbeaten team before the rout at Florida.

The Volunteers were in another fight against SEC newcomer Texas (11-5, 0-3). Dubar’s putback dunk tied it at 56 before his 3-pointer gave them a 61-60 lead.

Freshman Tre Johnson scored 26 points on 11-of-17 shooting for Texas, but had just one basket in the final 11 minutes for the Longhorns.

Takeaways — Tennessee: The Volunteers will fall out of the No. 1 spot in the new AP rankings on Monday. Chaz Lanier, the SEC’s top scorer at nearly 20 points per game, scored 10 in the second consecutive game well below his average.

Texas: Johnson is an electric scorer and found his touch after two poor games. But he disappeared down the stretch. Arthur Kaluma scored just four points after putting up 34 in the previous game against No. 2 Auburn.

Key moment — Dubar’s flying dunk and his 3-pointer moments later shifted all the momentum for the Volunteers.

Key stat — Tennessee dominated rebounding 41-27 and points in the paint 28-16.

Up next — Both teams play Wednesday. Tennessee hosts Georgia and Texas plays at rival No. 17 Oklahoma, which also left the Big 12 for the SEC this season.

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WOMEN

Tennessee 93, Arkansas 63

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Taylasia Cooper scored 20 points and No. 16 Tennessee breezed to a 93-63 victory over Arkansas on Sunday.

Cooper made half of her 14 shots from the floor with a 3-pointer and 5-of-7 free throws for the Lady Volunteers (14-2, 2-2 Southeastern Conference), who were coming off back-to-back home losses to No. 9 Oklahoma and No. 6 LSU by a combined three points. Cooper also had four steals.

Zee Spearman scored 18 on 7-for-9 shooting, sinking 3-of-3 from 3-point range and adding eight rebounds for Tennessee. Ruby Whitehorn totaled 17 points and Sara Puckett pitched in with 11 points and nine rebounds off the bench.

Izzy Higginbottom scored 26 to pace the Razorbacks (8-11, 1-3). She had six rebounds and six of Arkansas’ 22 turnovers. Carly Keats scored 10.

Whitehorn hit back-to-back jumpers for Tennessee to turn a three-point deficit into a 12-11 lead. Puckett’s 3-pointer was the final basket of the first quarter and the Lady Volunteers led 22-16.

Puckett hit a 3-pointer and two free throws, and Cooper added a layup in a 7-2 run to begin the second quarter as Tennessee moved in front by 13. After Arkansas pulled within five, Jewell Spear made three free throws after she was fouled beyond the arc, Whitehorn and Alyssa Latham followed with layups off Razorback turnovers and the Lady Vols upped their lead to 14 in less than 90 seconds. They held a 47-33 advantage at halftime.

Tennessee outscored the Razorbacks by 12 in the third quarter to take a 73-47 lead into the fourth.

Up next: Tennessee will host Mississippi State on Thursday. Arkansas will host No. 18 Alabama on Sunday.