Tennessee's Dalton Knecht ties Dean E. Smith Center record in 100-92 loss to UNC
Tennessee didn't have their best on Wednesday night, falling to the North Carolina Tar Heels 100-92 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina in the ACC/SEC Challenge. Well, one Volunteer had his best, actually. In fact, it was the best of any opposing player in the Dean E. Smith Center since 1988. G Dalton Knecht had a […]
Tennessee didn't have their best on Wednesday night, falling to the North Carolina Tar Heels 100-92 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina in the ACC/SEC Challenge.
Well, one Volunteer had his best, actually. In fact, it was the best of any opposing player in the Dean E. Smith Center since 1988.
G Dalton Knecht had a game-high 37 points in the loss. It was an incredibly gutsy performance by the first-year transfer from Northern Colorado, and it kept the Vols peripherally in the game in the second half after all appeared completely lost before the first half ended.
Knecht's total, per UNC, matched the record for an opponent in the Dean E. Smith Center, which was set in 1988.
The Vols trailed 61-39 at the half after a dreadful defensive performance that saw Carolina shoot over 57% from the field and 16-16 from the free throw line.
However, that's when Knecht, who had 15 points at half, found another level. He went 8 of 9 from the field in the second half, including 3 of 4 from beyond the arc. His red-hot shooting brought the Vols back from a 76-52 deficit to make the game mildly interesting down the stretch. He scored 15 of the Vols' next 19 points to draw within 82-71. The Vols would get within 6 points with 1:39 left but could get no closer.
Knecht had a shot at setting a new Dean E. Smith Center scoring mark, but he turned his ankle with under two minutes left and couldn't finish the game.
Tennessee found out in the Maui Invitational Tournament exactly what it takes to ascend to the top of the college basketball world: an elite talent who can take a game over. Purdue's Zach Edey and Kansas' Hunter Dickenson were game-changing forces in those Tennessee losses. It showed the type of player it takes to have a chance at making it through the first two weekends of the tournament and on to Glendale, Arizona for the Final Four.
It's been a rough eight days for the Volunteers, with losses to three blue bloods and a missed opportunity at adding a marquee win to their tournament resume. But perhaps on Wednesday, the Vols found something else that's largely important: an elite scorer and difference maker who can be a missing piece the Vols have sorely lacked for years.
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