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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Tennessee's Tony Harris played like the
20 NBA scouts came just to watch him.
Harris scored 20 points to lead six Volunteers in double figures
and had a career-high 12 assists as Tennessee (No. 7 ESPN/USA Today, AP) beat Austin
Peay 98-65 Monday night.
|  | | Tony Harris (14) scored 20 points for the Vols, but his career-high 12 assists won him more praise. |
"Tony Harris alone is worth the price of admission," Tennessee
coach Jerry Green said.
But the scouts were here to see Austin Peay's leading scorer Trenton Hassell, who finished with 22 points. Harris, who had just
one turnover and threw three alley oops to Isiah Victor, wasn't
paying attention to them.
"That wasn't in my mind," he said. "If I was thinking about
that I wouldn't have played the way I did. I'll do everything I can
for this team. I'm just trying to win."
Harris, who has been criticized in the past for not sharing the
ball, said he has asserted himself this year to help the Vols (4-0)
improve on last year's run to the NCAA tournament's regional
semifinals.
"From day one, I said I would do everything I can and
sacrifice. If I have to get a ball up 100 times and not score
points, that's what I'll do," Harris said.
Vincent Yarbrough scored 15 points and Marcus Haislip added 14
for the Volunteers, who have won 32 straight non-conference home
games. Harris Walker scored 12 points, and Victor and Jon Higgins
scored 11 apiece.
Austin Peay (4-1), the preseason pick to win the Ohio Valley
Conference, has never beaten the Vols and lost for the first time
this season after the school's best start in 15 years. Nick
Stapleton added eight points for the Governors.
Austin Peay kept the game close early, cutting the Vols' lead to
three at 28-25 on Kevin Easley's basket with 7:33 to go before
halftime. That was as close as the Governors would get the rest of
the way.
Tennessee pulled away with a 23-9 run to finish the first half
with a 17-point lead. Harris led the first-half charge with 15
points and nine assists. During the run he connected with Victor on
three straight alley oops, with the third making it 39-27 with 4:51
remaining.
Ahead 51-34 at halftime, Tennessee started the second half with
a 19-5 run to take a 31-point lead. A 3-pointer by Hassell ended a
3½-minute scoreless drought for Austin Peay, but that would be his
last basket of the game.
"We did a better job on Trenton Hassell in the second half.
He's a heck of a player," Green said.
NBA scouts, including Chicago Bulls general manager Jerry
Krause, attended the game, the only matchup between Austin Peay and
a current Top 25 team the rest of the regular season.
Hassell, who was averaging 23.2 points per game, had 15 points
in the first half, shooting 6-for-11 from the floor. He made just
two more baskets the rest of the way.
Austin Peay coach Dave Loos said the Vols lived up to his
expectations.
"We played Arizona 11 years ago when they were No. 1 or No. 2,
and this game was a lot like that one," Loos said. "Tennessee
made a run on us early, and we came apart."
Tennessee is 36-2 all-time against teams from the Ohio Valley
Conference.
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ALSO SEE
Mens College Basketball Scoreboard
Austin Peay Clubhouse
Tennessee Clubhouse
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