Vols Dominate Sooners as Gillespie Makes History in Knoxville
Image: Andrew Ferguson/Tennessee Athletics
By Aidan Sidoti
Tennessee handled business without much stress (finally) Wednesday night at Thompson-Boling at Food City Center, rolling past Oklahoma 89-66 for the Vols’ seventh win in their last eight games.
The story of the night, although, belonged to point guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie, who etched his name into the Tennessee record book with a program-best eight steals in the blowout victory.
“I was really gambling a lot tonight,” Gillespie said after the game. “My teammates had my back.” While the NCAA might not love hearing that, Gillespie certainly beat the house. His eight steals are the most by a Volunteer since Kennedy Chandler recorded seven against Presbyterian in 2021. Gillespie paired the defensive showcase with 16 points and eight assists, controlling the game on both ends.
Freshman forward Nate Ament once again delivered a star‑level performance. The Manassas, Virginia native poured in 29 points on 9‑for‑17 shooting and a perfect 8‑for‑8 at the free‑throw line. In 33 minutes, he added six rebounds, three assists, and a steal and block apiece. It marked his tenth 20‑point outing of the season and his seventh in the last ten games, continuing one of the most impressive freshman campaigns in the SEC.
The Vols also got a major lift from freshman DeWayne Brown II, who turned in the best game of his young career off the bench. The 6-foot-8 forward tied his career high with 13 points on 83% shooting, adding three rebounds and two assists in a confident, efficient performance that helped Tennessee pull away in the second half.
The Vols controlled the game from the jump, overwhelming an Oklahoma team that entered the night riding back‑to‑back wins but never found its footing in Knoxville. Tennessee’s defensive pressure, led by Gillespie’s record‑setting night, forced the Sooners into rushed possessions and turnovers that quickly turned into points on the other end.
With the win, Tennessee is now tied for second in the SEC standings and carries momentum into a rivalry matchup this weekend.
The Vols travel to Nashville on Saturday to face Vanderbilt, with tipoff set for 2 p.m. ET on ESPN.
