Tennessee’s J.P. Estrella notched 16 points and nine rebounds, and the Volunteers won for the seventh time in nine games by toppling LSU 73-63 on Saturday night in Knoxville, Tenn.
In a matchup where size mattered down the stretch, the 6-foot-11 Estrella made 7 of 9 field goals and hauled down six of his club’s 16 offensive rebounds.
Nate Ament added 22 points, nine rebounds and two blocks for the Volunteers (18-7, 8-4 Southeastern Conference), who earned their second straight victory.
Ja’Kobi Gillespie had 12 points and six assists as Tennessee beat LSU for the fifth straight time.
The Volunteers bodied their way to a massive 45-24 advantage on the boards.
The Tigers (14-11, 2-10) fell to 1-6 in its last seven games. Five of the losses are by double digits.
Marquel Sutton had 15 points and nine rebounds, while Jalen Reece had 15 points and four assists. Pablo Tamba scored 13 points and Mike Nwoko posted 10 and five rebounds.
Wearing all-black uniforms instead of their home orange, the Volunteers scored the first five points behind their two top scorers — Gillespie with a three-pointer and Ament with a short jumper.
The home side gradually pulled away as LSU went cold on a 2-for-14 shooting showing from the floor and failed to connect on a field goal for over six minutes, allowing Tennessee to lead 17-7 after Estrella’s dunk.
However, the Tigers cut it to single digits as Mazi Mosley drained two deep shots, the second one making it 23-15 with just under eight minutes remaining.
Tamba’s trey cut it to six, 35-29, as LSU made all but one of its last six shots of the half, while Tennessee went the final 4:44 without only one bucket.
Right out of halftime, Tamba hit another deep ball and Reece matched it as the Tigers knotted it 35-all. Reece canned another 3 to tie it at 40-40 as Tennessee found itself tied with over 16 minutes remaining.
Sutton’s two free throws gave the Tigers their first lead, 42-41, at 15:35.
Foul trouble on LSU’s big men, Robert Miller III and Nwoko, forced the visitors to play with a smaller lineup against Tennessee’s imposing frontcourt.
With 9:28 left, Gillespie capped an 8-0 run by stroking a long ball for a 58-50 lead, and the Volunteers exerted their size advantage to lock down the win.
