Feb 6, 2002
By ELIZABETH A. DAVIS
AP Sports Writer
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – All of a sudden, Tennessee is the team that wins close games.
The Volunteers’ latest nail-biter ended up being their biggest win under first-year coach Buzz Peterson.
Marcus Haislip scored 24 points, including the game-winner with 18 seconds left in overtime, and Tennessee beat No. 7 Kentucky 76-74 Wednesday night.
The Vols (12-10, 5-4 Southeastern Conference) had been 0-7 in games decided by five points or less, but now Tennessee has used those heartbreaking experiences to pull off close wins over Syracuse, LSU, Vanderbilt and the Wildcats (15-6, 5-4).
Kentucky has lost all three overtime games so far while Tennessee won its first in three tries.
To make the task tougher, Tennessee was missing three players.
“They’ve been through an awful lot and have kept their courage,” Peterson said. “I told them late in the game, ‘We are going to win.”‘
It didn’t look like much of a cliffhanger at the beginning. Kentucky led most of the game until midway through the second half but needed a 3-pointer to send the game into overtime.
In overtime, Kentucky went ahead 74-72 on an inside basket by Chuck Hayes with 2:05 left. Thaydeus Holden, who had missed a free throw late in regulation, then made two from the line to tie it with 50 seconds to go.
Tayshaun Prince, who finished with 22 points for Kentucky, lost the ball out of bounds on the next possession, and Haislip put in his own missed shot at the other end for the lead.
“In overtime, I told the team to get it inside to Haislip if they can,” Peterson said.
Kentucky got the ball and looked disorganized when Kentucky coach Tubby Smith called a timeout with 3.3 seconds left.
“We wanted to push it up,” Smith said. “It looked like we took forever to get it to the frontcourt. There was some indecision on what we wanted to do.”
Seeing the offense Kentucky put on the floor, Peterson then called another timeout.
When play resumed, all the Vols had to do was prevent another basket. They did.
Prince’s 3 missed at the buzzer, and Tennessee students and fans spilled onto the court to celebrate.
“We talked about getting tough and making plays you have to make,” Smith said. “You can’t point to one play, one shot or one player.”
Yarbrough added 19 points for Tennessee, which lost twice to the Wildcats last season, and Holden and Jenis Grindstaff each had 12 points. Haislip also had 12 rebounds.
Hayes had 15 points for Kentucky, while Gerald Fitch had 12 and Keith Bogans 10.
The Vols, already playing without injured Ron Slay, were missing his replacement Brandon Crump due to illness. Senior Del Baker earned the first start of his career. Grindstaff played just five minutes of the second half after he hurt his left knee.
The Vols, who trailed by as many as 13 points in the first half until midway through the second half, looked like they were going to hold on for the win in regulation after going ahead by six points with 30 seconds left.
But Fitch hit a 3 to cut it to 70-67 with 17 seconds to go, then Holden missed a free throw after he was intentionally fouled on the inbounds play.
After a timeout, Fitch got wide open and hit another 3 to tie it. Tennessee couldn’t get another shot before the buzzer.
