Craven Wings Full Court Press on how the Vols crushed the Gamecocks

Tennessee remained undefeated in SEC play by demolishing South Carolina 85-42 on Saturday afternoon.

Olivier Nkamhoua scored 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, Jonas Aidoohad 15 points and Santiago Vescoviscored 12 to lead the Vols to a dominant 85-42 win at South Carolina. 

Nkamhoua led Tennessee (13-2, 3-0 SEC) with his double-double while making his return to the arena where his season ended with an ankle injury a year ago. He went a perfect 10-for-10 from the field, just days removed from scoring 10 points on 5-for-5 shooting in the win over Mississippi State Tuesday in Knoxville.

Senior Josiah-Jordan James and freshman Julian Phillips returned to their home state to combine for 20 points. James, a Charleston, S.C., native, scored 12 while Phillips, from nearby Blythewood, had eight, starting the game with a three from the wing.

James is in his second game back from injury and was really efficient and solid. It was the most lopsided conference loss for South Carolina (7-8, 0-2) in program history and the worst home loss in 20-year history of Colonial Life Arena.

It was Tennessee’s third-largest road win in program history and biggest since 1965. It came close to a new record for Tennessee largest margin of victory in an SEC game, which was set in 1966 with a 47-point win over Ole Miss.

Tennessee shot 60.7 percent from the field and 62.5 percent from the 3-point line in the first half. Vescovi capped the half with a three just before the horn — making the Vols 5-for-8 from the 3-point line over the first 20 minutes — to take a 43-21 lead into halftime.

Nkamhoua had 11 points and four rebounds in the first half, going a perfect 5-for-5 from the field, a game removed from scoring 10 points on 5-for-5 shooting against Mississippi State on Tuesday.

Tennessee returns home on Tuesday against Vanderbilt.

After the game, Austin Price and Rob Lewis break down the game in the Craven Wings Full Court Press.