North Carolina Asheville UNC-Ash./Tennessee Tennessee Men's College Basketball recap on ESPN

Ron Slay led the No. 7-ranked Volunteers' reserves with 16 points as six reserves combined for 52 points in an 85-59 victory over North Carolina-Asheville on Thursday night.

"The first team is ranked in the Top 25. The second team, I don't know if they would be in the Top 25, but sometimes they play better than the other guys," Tennessee coach Jerry Green said.

And the Vols (5-0), who completed a season-opening homestand undefeated, needed all the help they could get in the first half. They trailed by as many as eight points with poor shooting and bumbling passes and turnovers.

The Tennessee starters had just 15 points in the first half. Terrence Woods came in game and made the Vols' first field goal of the game -- a 3-pointer with 15:55 left to cut UNCA's lead to 9-5.

"It is a real advantage to us. We put a lot of pressure on the first five and they put a lot of pressure on us to stay in the game," Slay said.

Woods had 12 points, reserve Marcus Haislip 11, and Vincent Yarbrough had 10 points and 12 rebounds for the Vols. Tony Harris had 10 points and eight assists.

"We have one of the better benches in the country," Haislip said. "We know what we have to do when we come in."

Brett Carey scored 13 points and Andre Smith 11 for the Bulldogs (3-2).

Tennessee came out looking like a different team after halftime as the Vols used a 23-6 run to take a 61-38 lead with 12:59 left.

Isiah Victor, who had no points in the first half, scored the Vols' first two baskets of the second to get Tennessee started. Yarbrough tipped in Harris' lob pass for a 46-35 lead, and the Vols used a more fast-paced offense to build the lead.

While the Bulldogs were scoreless between Smith's 3 with 17:27 left and Brandon Carter's 3 four minutes later, the Vols were up to their usual acrobatics.

Slay caused a turnover, squirting the ball into the air. Harris grabbed it and scored. Yarbrough followed with a tip-in of Harris' missed 3-pointer.

After Carter's 3 cut the Vols' lead to 54-38, Tennessee didn't let up. Haislip had a basket and a dunk 15 seconds later. Jenis Grindstaff hit a 3, and then lobbed a pass over and across the basket while Haislip ran in from the other side and jammed it in with one hand.

Slay's fast-break basket and two free throws gave the Vols a 25-point lead at 76-51 with 5:30 left.

"This should have been a 10-15 point game," UNCA coach Eddie Biedenbach said. "We played well for a while, but didn't respond to their pressure and didn't attack."

UNCA hit seven of its first nine shots in the opening seven minutes. The Vols didn't make a field goal until Woods' 3-pointer 4:05 into the game cut the lead to 9-5.

Colin Shaw's 3 with 13:19 left in the first half put UNCA ahead 18-11, but Harris Walker got the Vols started on a run that gave them their first lead.

Walker's driving layup cut the lead to 19-13 with 11:58 to go, and he finished Tennessee's 11-4 run over the next 3:38 with a 3 to put the Vols ahead 24-23.

Tennessee outscored UNCA 12-7 in the final 4½ minutes to take an eight-point lead at halftime.

The Vols, who have won 33 straight non-conference home games, travel to West Virginia on Saturday for their first road game of the season.

ALSO SEE
Mens College Basketball Scoreboard

North Carolina Asheville Clubhouse

Tennessee Clubhouse