March Madness 2025: No. 2 Tennessee scores just 15 first-half points against No. 1 Houston

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Tennessee had a brutal first half against Houston in the Elite Eight. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

(Gregory Shamus via Getty Images)

Tennessee had one of the worst first halves in the 2025 NCAA tournament in Sunday’s Elite Eight matchup against Houston.

The No. 2 Volunteers were 6-of-28 from the field and a staggering 1-of-15 from the 3-point line as they trailed the No. 1 Cougars 34-15 at the break. It was a miserable offensive performance for a team that’s typically one of the most efficient offensive teams in the country.

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Both teams’ offensive efficiency was expected to be challenged by the other’s defense entering Sunday’s contest. Both Tennessee and Houston are two of the best defensive teams in college basketball. But Houston’s defensive impact was outsized. Especially compared to Tennessee’s.

The Cougars were just 42% from the field and 3-of-10 from behind the 3-point line. But they out-rebounded the Volunteers by nine and had nine offensive boards. Those offensive rebounds led to 11 second-chance points.

Tennessee had just four second-chance points despite missing so many shots. Leading scorer Chaz Lanier was 1-of-9 from the field and missed all six of his 3-point attempts. Zakai Zeigler was 1-of-7 from the field. Jordan Gainey was 2-of-6. He was the only Tennessee player with more than one made basket.

Houston also pulled out to its 19-point lead as big man J’Wan Roberts played just five minutes because of two early fouls.

Tennessee’s 15 points are the second-fewest of any team in a half of the 2025 men’s NCAA tournament and the fewest points a team seeded either No. 1 or No. 2 has scored in a half in men’s NCAA tournament history. No. 5 Clemson scored just 13 in the first half of its first-round loss to No. 12 McNeese earlier in the tournament and the modern record of 10 points in a half was set by Wake Forest in 2001 and Kent State in 2008.

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/college-basketball/article/march-madness-2025-no-2-tennessee-scores-just-15-first-half-points-against-no-1-houston-191844479.html

Author : Nick Bromberg

Publish date : 2025-03-30 19:18:00

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