Dalton Knecht matches a Tennessee Vols legend after second half explosion against Vanderbilt
Tennessee fans in attendance at Memorial Gymnasium on Saturday were treated to something not seen in SEC play since another Volunteer great pulled it off a long way back. According to Tennessee Athletics, Dalton Knecht became the first SEC player to reach 32 or more points three times over a four-game stretch since 2006. The […]
Tennessee fans in attendance at Memorial Gymnasium on Saturday were treated to something not seen in SEC play since another Volunteer great pulled it off a long way back.
According to Tennessee Athletics, Dalton Knecht became the first SEC player to reach 32 or more points three times over a four-game stretch since 2006. The last player who pulled it off? Chris Lofton.
Knecht had a red-hot second half to help the Vols outscore Vanderbilt by 22 points after falling behind 35-26. Rick Barnes drew a technical foul on controversial foul and goaltending calls with 1:17 left, the latter of which was overturned.
And it was Knecht who took over the game for the Vols in the second half, where he ripped off 21 of his 32 points as Tennessee surged to a 75-62 win. He scored 12 straight points to turn a 43-30 deficit into a 51-48 lead. He also slammed the door shut when the Commodores tried to make one final run by cutting the lead to 63-55. Five straight points put Tennessee up comfortably at 68-55, and the Vols were never threatened again.
Knecht willed the Vols from an 11-point second half deficit at Georgia with a 36-point outing. He reached a season-high 39 points against the Gators, followed by 25 points in Tennessee's thrashing of Alabama.
Knecht matched Lofton's run of 32+ points from December 6 – December 23, 2006. Lofton dropped in a game-high 34 points in Tennessee's 76-58 romp over Memphis. He followed that up with 32 and 20 points in back-to-back wins over Western Kentucky and Oklahoma State. Then, on December 23, he poured in 35 points in Tennessee's 111-105 win over Rick Barnes' Texas Longhorns that featured eventual NBA MVP and champion Kevin Durant. Lofton hit the final bucket of regulation and the first of overtime before icing the game from the line in the final seconds.
Tennessee fans now hope that Knecht finds himself in even more exclusive statistical company as the Vols continue to roll through their SEC schedule towards March.
Tennessee Vol fans pull off something not often heard during game against Vanderbilt
UT fans made themselves known on Saturday
