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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- In Tony Harris' mind, there was no way
anyone else was going to take the final shots for Tennessee (No. 15 ESPN/USA Today, No. 15 AP) on Friday night.
The 6-foot junior guard scored 23 points, including two
3-pointers in the final two minutes, as the Volunteers held off
Middle Tennessee State 78-77.
Harris' 3-pointers put Tennessee (8-0) up 78-73 with 1:37
remaining. The Blue Raiders (2-3) were able to pull within 78-77 on
a layup by Ron McKnight with 34 seconds left.
The Vols turned the ball over in the final seconds, but a
desperation shot by McKnight was wide at the buzzer and Middle
Tennessee lost its third straight.
"The momentum was flowing and the game was real close and I
felt like I had to do something," Harris said. "I was feeling it,
so I felt like I should be the one to take it in that situation."
Vincent Yarbrough had 18 points for Tennessee, while C.J. Black
added 12.
"When you don't play well and still win, it tells you
something," Tennessee coach Jerry Green said.
McKnight led the Blue Raiders with 21 points, while Cedrick
Wallace had 15 and Lee Nosse 13.
Tennessee struggled to a 47-40 halftime lead after turning over
the ball 14 times and allowing Middle Tennessee to get easy
baskets.
After dunks by Fernando Ortiz and Cedrick Wallace, the Blue
Raiders were only down 32-29 with 7:07 left in the half. Middle
Tennessee stayed close, but baskets by Ron Slay, Yarbrough and a
3-pointer by Black over the final four minutes of the half offset
two 3-pointers by Jonathan Whitworth.
Middle Tennessee capitalized on the Vols' turnover problems to
stay close. The Blue Raiders trailed 75-73 with 2:12 remaining on a
3-pointer by McKnight just seconds after Harris' second 3-pointer.
"We had a chance at the end," Middle Tennessee coach Randy
Wiel said. "We battled back and everybody gave their best."
The victory extends Tennessee's home non-conference winning
streak to 27 games, dating to a 1996 loss to Tennessee Tech.
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ALSO SEE
Mens College Basketball Scoreboard
Middle Tennessee State Clubhouse
Tennessee Clubhouse
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