RECORD LOWS
Tennessee’s 38 points against Alabama on Saturday were the fewest by the Vols at Thompson-Boling Arena, which opened for the 1987-88 season, and the third fewest in any game since college basketball instituted a shot clock beginning in the 1985-86 season. The program low for points in the shot-clock era came when Tennessee lost 43-35 at Auburn in January 1997. The Vols scored 36 and 38 points in back-to-back games at Georgetown and Virginia during the 2012-13 season. The Vols’ previous scoring low of 46 points at Thompson-Boling was set twice during the 1994-95 season, Tennessee’s first under Kevin O’Neill. Memphis won 50-46 in mid-December, and Alabama won 69-46 a little more than a month later.
KNOXVILLE — When Armani Moore finally put the ball in the basket, what was left of Tennessee’s largest crowd of the basketball season let out a sarcastic cheer of approval.
It was a merciless response to the merciful ending of a long, brutal scoreless drought and a 56-38 Southeastern Conference loss for the Volunteers.
Alabama outscored the hosts 21-2 to end the game as Tennessee went without a single point for more than 13 minutes Saturday afternoon in the lone meeting of the season between the two teams.
“Nights like that happen to everybody,” Vols guard Josh Richardson said dejectedly after scoring 17 of his team’s points.