Jacksonville St. Gamecocks vs Tennessee Volunteers Box Score on Dec 21, 2019

Jordan Bowden scored 19 points and John Fulkerson added 16 as No. 21 Tennessee rebounded from a slow start to earn a 75-53 nonconference victory Saturday over visiting Jacksonville State and give head coach Rick Barnes his 700th career win.

Despite a scoreless drought of more than seven minutes in the opening half and a three-point deficit with less than six minutes remaining before halftime, the Volunteers (8-3) found their offense and ended a two-game losing streak.

Yves Pons scored 11 points with a career-high six blocked shots, Josiah-Jordan James scored 10 and Lamonte Turner had 11 assists as the Volunteers improved to 6-1 at home. It was their first ever meeting with Jacksonville State.

Ty Hudson scored 11 points and Kayne Henry added 10 rebounds as the Gamecocks (4-8) saw a two-game winning streak come to an end. Jacksonville State fell to 1-39 all-time against Southeastern Conference opponents.

After a hot start when they were 5 of 8 from the field, Tennessee hit a rut, making just one of their next 14 shots over a 7:31 stretch. Jacksonville State put together a 10-0 run that ended when Fulkerson finally scored inside with 6:03 remaining before halftime.

The Vols ended the first half on a 17-10 run to take a 30-26 lead into the break and built their first double-digit lead at 50-39 on a 3-pointer from Davonte Gaines with 11:40 remaining. They cruised to the victory from there.

Tennessee entered 13th in the nation by allowing opponents an average of 57.6 points per game and 35th in opponents' field-goal percentage at 38.2 percent. The Vols held the Gamecocks to 37.0-percent shooting in the game.

Barnes improved to 700-367 over 33 seasons as a head coach at George Mason, Providence, Clemson, Texas and Tennessee. He is now four victories shy of 100 in five seasons with the Vols' program.

Tennessee has one more nonconference game remaining next Saturday against Wisconsin before opening SEC play Jan. 4 at home against LSU. Jacksonville State has a nonconference game remaining next Saturday against Carver College before Ohio Valley Conference action starts Jan. 2 at Morehead State.

--Field Level Media