UT Vols basketball sets program record for longest win streak after beating Texas A&M

COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Tennessee basketball made history Saturday night at Texas A&M. But it didn’t make it easily.

The Vols won their 16th game in a row, eclipsing a program record set more than 100 years ago. It just didn’t come without nervous moments, as the Aggies gave Tennessee’s defense problems.

But the lethal Tennessee offense had both the first and final say, burying Texas A&M early and annihilating it late with a Jordan Bone-led night.

No. 1 Tennessee won 93-76 to beat the 15-game mark set during a streak that started in 1915 and lasted into 1917.

“Just ignore it and keep on moving," Bone said of the record. "We want more. We’ve got to keep this thing going. I feel like once you think about something like that, you get complacent.

"That’s the main challenge is to not get complacent and keep doing what we are doing and keep getting these wins.”

Grant Williams led Tennessee (20-1, 8-0 SEC) with 22 points and 10 rebounds. Bone had 18, shooting 7-of-7 from the field and 4-of-4 from 3-point range. He added 10 assists and five rebounds.

Lamonte Turner had 19 and seven assists to help down Texas A&M (8-12, 1-7). Jordan Bowden scored 16 and Admiral Schofield had 14 for the Vols, who have not lost since Nov. 23 against Kansas.

"We are going to keep going," Williams said. "We have a long ways to go and we have a long season ahead of us. It’s nice to set that record, but we want more. We can’t ever settle because if we start settling or thinking that’s all we want, then we are going to drop games left and right."

Tennessee led by only two three times in the second half, the final time being a 65-63 edge.

Then it was all Vols, as the nation’s top squad hit 10-of-12 field goals to roll away. Bowden hit a midrange jumper, then a 3-pointer. Bone assisted Williams.

Turner made back-to-back 3-pointers. Bowden hit again from midrange before Turner finished an acrobatic layup in transition. Bone hit from three and assisted Kyle Alexander for a dunk to push Tennessee’s lead to 15 in a hurry.

"You could tell he had command of what he wanted to do," Barnes said of Bone.

The Aggies cooled down late after making a season-high 2 3-pointers to push the Vols to the brink. Tennessee also led by two at South Carolina on Tuesday before running away late.

“I think you have to give credit to your opponent sometimes, too," Barnes said. "We are not going to shut anybody out. As much as I’d like to do that. ...

"When they are executing the way they did tonight, they are a tough team to defend.”

UT shot 64.5 percent from the floor.

Tennessee’s first-half offense was humming from the moment Turner hit Williams with a bounce pass. The Vols made 12-of-14 – and 4-of-6 from 3-point range – to open the game and led 28-9 less than eight minutes in.

“We played the No. 1 team in the country that played like the No. 1 team in the country," Texas A&M coach Billy Kennedy said. "I thought offensively, they were by far the best team we've faced.”

Bone buried 3-pointers. Schofield was clean from midrange. Bowden jumped back into the mix. UT barely hit the rim during the torrid stretch, which Bowden and Turner capped with back-to-back perfect 3-pointers.

A&M scored the next 10 points, as Tennessee got sloppy and was iffy defensively. 

The Aggies cut Tennessee’s lead to five with a 20-6 run and to four moments later after Brandon Mahan hit his second 3-pointer of the half.

“We’ve had a couple games like that, and we turn around and that team is back in it," Barnes said.

UT scored eight straight, though, sparked by Bone. The junior scored once in the run, but tallied a pair of assists in transition. He kept coming and so did the Vols, who withstood another road test and came away with another win.

“I would like to think this team’s best basketball is ahead of them," Barnes said. "I believe it can be. I do believe they understand we’ve got to continue to get better.”

Sticking with Lamonte Turner

Rick Barnes started Turner for the third straight game. Turner replaced sophomore forward Yves Pons in the starting lineup against West Virginia.

Afterward, Barnes indicated he would evaluate the decision and decide based on matchups who to start. Turner has started every game since.

Jordan Bowden returns

Tennessee got Bowden back in the lineup after the junior missed the South Carolina win Tuesday.

He responded, making key shots late in the second half when Tennessee was reeling momentarily.

Up next

Tennessee hosts Missouri and former UT coach Cuonzo Martin on Tuesday (9 p.m. ET, ESPN2).