KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – John Fulkerson had 15 points and 10 rebounds and drew a game-clinching charge with 1.4 seconds left as Tennessee edged South Carolina 56-55 on Saturday.
South Carolina (8-7, 0-2 SEC) had the ball in the closing seconds with a chance to take the lead, but A.J. Lawson drove into Fulkerson in the lane and was called for the offensive foul. Tennessee (10-5, 2-1) threw a long pass that Jordan Bowden caught while staying inbounds to run out the clock.
Lawson, who entered the day with a team-leading 15.2 points per game, had just four points Saturday and missed all seven of his field-goal attempts.
Santiago Vescovi had 13 points and Josiah-Jordan James had 10 for Tennessee. South Carolina’s Maik Kotsar had 17 and Jermaine Couisnard had 15.
Tennessee led 56-53 and had possession in the final minute, but Lawson stole the ball from Vescovi and hit a pair of free throws with 36.5 seconds left to cut the lead to 56-55.