THE TENNESSEE Volunteers dug out a 13-point win over the Miami Hurricanes in the Jimmy V Classic in NCAAM Basketball on Wednesday morning.

The two sides went head-to-head at Madison Square Garden in New York, and the Volunteers were the heavy favourites. Tennessee had moved to number one in the rankings after starting the season 8-0, while the Hurricanes found themselves out of form and on a losing streak.

The first half proved to be the defining period, with the Volunteers outscoring the opposition 38-25 to lead by 13 at the main break, and that was the eventual margin. Tennessee shot 40 per cent from behind the arc, which was far better than Miami and that accuracy played a big role in the result of the match.

With that in mind, Rookie Me Central will be casting an eye over how the key players performed in the match, as some of the NCAAM’s best and brightest display their craft on a nightly basis.

Miami Hurricanes (62) def. by Tennessee Volunteers (75)

Hurricanes

#1 Lynn Kidd

The standout for the Hurricanes, Kidd never stopped trying for Miami and can hold his head high with a double-double. The Senior big man’s first half was all about rebounding, pulling down boards on both ends of the floor while also swatting Felix Okpara‘s jumpshot to thwart a Tennessee possession. He got involved in the second half as a scorer, recording 12 of his 14 points in the final 20 minutes of play. Whether it was deft mid-ranges or thunderous dunks after a well-timed cut, Kidd showed an ability to hit the scoreboard and work well within the team’s system. He finished the game with 14 points, 12 rebounds (five offensive), two assists and a block.

#11 A.J. Staton-McCray

Another player who stood tall on a tough night for the Hurricanes, Staton-McCracy fought hard to try and ignite some life into his side’s offence. He was very impressive in the second half, drawing his side within eight on multiple occasions with plays that were set up by steals and transition baskets. The Junior guard maintained extremely active hands on the defensive end, and four steals was a game-high total. He would then turn those deflections and steals into baskets down the other end, whether out of his hands or a teammates. He posted 11 points, four rebounds, four assists, and four steals.

#24 Nijel Pack

Despite the loss, Pack was strong in his intent on the offensive end and was able to generate some much-needed scoring for the Hurricanes. He was far and away the most deadly Miami player from behind the arc, with all four of his makes coming from three-point land. Although he was passive in the first half, Pack was looking to fire off more shots of his own in the second half, and although he had some struggles coming out of half time, improved as the game rolled on to finish the game with 12 points, four rebounds and two assists.

Volunteers

#2 Chaz Lanier

The Senior guard was the most damaging player on the court, topping the scoring column and proving a serious handful for the Miami defence. He started the game perfectly with the first basket of the game coming in the form of a three-pointer, and carried that on to make it two in a row from behind the arc. Although he could not keep up that pace, he still chimed in for an occasional triple to close out the first half. He maintained his aggressiveness in the second half to close out the game strongly and finish the game with the most points of any player with 22 on 8/15 shooting from the field.

#5 Zakai Zeigler

Zeigler did a bit of everything in the win over the Hurricanes, orchestrating Tennessee’s offence to perfection to be a key cog in a winning system. The guard was in charge of setting up plays and was wonderful in his ability to find his open teammates, using all of his knowledge and skill to make well-timed dishes. The Senior stuffed the stat sheet with 13 points (4/9 FG), four rebounds and nine assists and was one of the better players on the floor when it comes to impact.

#7 Igor Milicic Jr.

The big man was a presence whenever he was on the floor and was a serious weapon for the Volunteers in the 13-point win. He floated around the paint on most possessions and was an excellent option when rolling to the basket. Milicic Jr. combined extremely well with Zeigler in pick and rolls and was able to find space when he cut to the basket. He used his reach and size to create good looks at the cup and was rarely deterred by any opposition pressure. The forward almost posted a double-double and finished with 16 pointes and nine rebounds.