2025 March Madness: Coach Rick Barnes' Tennessee Volunteers beat Wofford Terriers to get to the Second Round

TOI Sports Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Mar 21, 2025, 18:30 IST

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The Tennessee Volunteers, led by star shooting guard Chaz Lanier, secured a 77-62 victory over the Wofford Terriers in the first round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament. Lanier scored 29 points, and the team never trailed, setting up a second-round matchup against the UCLA Bruins.

2025 March Madness: Coach Rick Barnes' Tennessee Volunteers beat Wofford Terriers to get to the Second Round

Tennessee Volunteers (via Getty Images)

The Tennessee Volunteers are the fourth seed in the 2025 NCAA Tournament's Southeastern table. They beat the Wofford Terriers, to reach the next round of the tournament with a 77-62 victory over the other team. They have reached the second round for the fourth consecutive season this time, under coach Rick Barnes. The Tennessee team has had an overall run of 28-7 so far and will be facing the UCLA Bruins next in the second round.

Head coach Rick Barnes is gushing over the star shooting guard

March Madness has begun and it's full throttle. The Tennessee Volunteers started the game with a 3-pointer by Jahmai Mashack less than half a minute into the game and kept this lead throughout. But their star player was Chaz Lanier, who scored 29 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 assist. Head coach Rick Barnes was all praises for the 23-year-old shooting guard, who transferred to the Vols after four years in North Florida.

“I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a guy, as good a player as him, ever being scared of the moment here. I think they embrace that kind of thing and they really love it. I think he was looking forward to it.”

Tennessee vs. Wofford - First round NCAA tournament extended highlights

Lainer himself seemed ecstatic being a part of this big night, saying “These are the moments you dream of." He and his teammates, one of whom is Zakai Zeigler who scored 12 points and 12 assists, took the win pretty smoothly. Their next game is on Saturday night, as the team gets ready for the second round of the tournament.

A dominating performance by the Tennessee Volunteers

The Tennessee Volunteers gave a dominant performance, securing a comfortable 77-62 win, with Chaz Lanier leading the charge with 29 points on 11-of-22 shooting. They never trailed in the game, showcasing their strength and momentum. The Vols' victory was a testament to their teamwork and strategy, with multiple players contributing to the win.

The fifteenth seed, Wofford Terriers, with a 19-16 overall run, were quite outmatched against their opponents inside the Rupp Arena. Now for Saturday night's second-round game, the Volunteers will face the Bruins, who beat the Utah State Aggies, 72-47. The upcoming game is setting up to be an interesting one.
Also Read: 2025 March Madness: Full Women's NCAA tournament schedule, key dates, game times and more

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TOI Sports Desk

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