WATCH — Tennessee’s Jordan Gainey beats buzzer and Illinois 66-64

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. —Top ranked Tennessee remains unbeaten and is now 10-0 after Vol senior Jordan Gainey went coast to coast with a right handed lay up from the left side with just over 5 seconds to play to to beat Illinois 66-64.

Tennessee was plagued by foul trouble all night and it was the sixth man Gainey who came to the rescue. Gainey scored 18 second half points in 18 minutes as point guard Zakai Zeigler sat most of the second half with 4 fouls. 

Gainey was terrific in the second half going 6 of 10 from the floor including 3-5 from the three point line and he had two assists. For the game, Gainey finished with 23 points to lead Tennessee

The win was Tennessee’s 10th straight to start the season. The best start for the Vols since the 1999-2000 season.

Up Next: No. 1 Tennessee vs. Western Carolina

Tennessee returns home to host Western Carolina on Tuesday, the start of four straight home games, including the start of SEC play January 4 against Arkansas at Food City Center. 

Tuesday’s game is a 7 p.m. Eastern Time start on SEC Network+. The Vols then host Middle Tennessee State on December 23, a 7 p.m. ET start on SEC Network, and close the non-conference schedule against Norfolk State on December 31, a 3 p.m. ET start on SEC Network+.

The Arkansas game on Saturday, January 4 is a 1 p.m. ET start on ESPN and marks the return of former Tennessee center Jonas Aidoo, who transferred to Arkansas during the spring to play for new Razorback head coach John Calipari.

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