McLean, Tuoyo help Chattanooga beat Tennessee 82-69
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Justin Tuoyo and Tre' McLean each posted double-doubles Friday as Chattanooga started its season with an 82-69 victory over Tennessee that snapped the Volunteers' 25-game winning streak in home openers.
This marked the second straight year that Chattanooga has opened the season by beating a Southeastern Conference team. The Mocs tipped off their 2015-16 campaign with a 92-90 overtime victory at Georgia and went on to reach the NCAA Tournament.
Tennessee hadn't lost a home opener since falling 87-79 to East Tennessee State in 1991.
Tuoyo had a career-high 22 points to go along with 11 rebounds in a performance that featured several dunks. McLean had 21 points and 10 rebounds. Greg Pryor had 14 points and Johnathan Burroughs-Cook added 11.
Tennessee freshman Jordan Bone had 21 points in his college debut. Lamonte Turner had 12 points and Robert Hubbs III added 11 for Tennessee, which shot 1 of 16 from 3-point range.
This game matched Tennessee's youth against Chattanooga's experience. Chattanooga has five senior starters, while Tennessee's roster includes nine newcomers (seven true freshmen, redshirt freshman Turner and Utah State graduate transfer Lew Evans).
Chattanooga learned before the game that Xavier transfer Makinde London had been granted an NCAA waiver allowing the 6-foot-10 forward to play right away for the Mocs rather than sitting out the 2016-17 season.
BIG PICTURE
Chattanooga: Casey Jones retuned from an ankle injury that limited the 2015-16 Southern Conference preseason player of the year to eight games last season. Jones looked good when he was on the floor but struggled with foul trouble all night. He scored seven points before fouling out with 5:38 left.
Tennessee: With so many new faces, Tennessee may need time to sort out its rotation and establish chemistry on the court. Tennessee coach Rick Barnes wasted no time testing out different combinations, as nine different Vols earned playing time in the first four minutes of the game.
The biggest issue for Tennessee is whether its woeful 3-point shooting was simply the product of a bad night or the start of a season-long struggle.
UP NEXT:
Chattanooga is at No. 6 North Carolina on Sunday.
Tennessee hosts Appalachian State on Tuesday.
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