The door opened Saturday afternoon for Tennessee to control its fate in this year’s Southeastern Conference basketball race.
Then Arkansas closed it.
Davonte Davis, a 26.4% shooter on 3-point attempts this season, made consecutive baskets from long range to spearhead an 11-1 run that turned a 41-40 deficit into a 51-42 advantage as the No. 23 Razorbacks broke free for a 58-48 topping of the No. 16 Volunteers inside Bud Walton Arena.
Tennessee (19-7, 10-4 SEC) failed to capitalize on No. 2 Auburn losing 63-62 at Florida earlier in the day, which dropped the Tigers to 12-2 in SEC play. Kentucky improved to 11-3 in the conference with its 90-81 downing of Alabama, but the Vols couldn’t keep pace with the No. 4 Wildcats and remain two games back of the lead.
“It’s one game. It’s one bad day,” junior guard/forward Josiah-Jordan James said on a Zoom call after Tennessee’s eight-game SEC winning streak came to a close. “We’re not going to hang our hat on it or get too down on ourselves.”