COLUMBIA, Mo. — Santiago Vescovi scored 15 points and Yves Pons and Jaden Springer added 13 apiece as No. 7 Tennessee blitzed No. 12 Missouri 73-53 on Wednesday night in the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams.
The Volunteers (7-0) shot 50% from the field and were selective with their shots, going 5 of 7 from beyond the arc.
Playing its first road game of the season, Tennessee was at home in Mizzou Arena. The Volunteers made their first seven shots on mid-range jumpers and 3-point shots, building a 21-4 lead.
Missouri (6-1) didn't get many chances to play at its preferred fast pace because it began most possessions by pulling the ball from the net. Tennessee built a 38-24 lead by the break.
The second half was much of the same, as the Volunteers hit their first three shots and scored eight points in the first minute and a half.
In both halves, Missouri coach Cuonzo Martin called a timeout within the first two minutes to try to settle his team down. Tennessee stretched its lead to 28 points midway through the second half.
Xavier Pinson led Missouri with 11 points. The Tigers were frustrated by Tennessee's defense and combined for just four assists.
Mississippi State wins on road, hands Georgia first loss
ATHENS, Ga. — Iverson Molinar scored a career-high 24 points, D.J. Stewart Jr. added 18 and Mississippi State beat previously unbeaten Georgia 83-73 on Wednesday night in the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams.
Mississippi State (6-3) has won four straight against Georgia (7-1), including its largest margin of victory in the series, 91-59 at home last season.
Molinar made four 3-pointers and was 8 of 14 from the field. Stewart was 8-of-20 shooting and had seven rebounds. The pair entered averaging 35.9 points, which trails only LSU's Cameron Thomas and Trendon Watford in the SEC.
Deivon Smith had all 13 of his points in the first half for Mississippi State, which made 12 3-pointers and shot 44% (29 of 66) from the field. Jalen Johnson added 12 points.
P.J. Horne made five 3-pointers and finished with a career-best 21 points to lead Georgia. Toumani Camara added 11 points, and Tye Fagan and Christian Brown had 10 apiece.
Three consecutive 3-pointers, one from Molinar and two from Deivon Smith, gave Mississippi State a double-digit lead midway through the first half as they built a 41-27 halftime lead.
Georgia pulled to 67-56 before Mississippi State stretched its lead to 18 with 3:06 remaining.
Florida wins first game since Johnson's collapse
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Colin Castleton scored a career-high 23 points and Florida opened the SEC season on Wednesday night with a 91-72 win over Vanderbilt in the Gators' first game since Keyontae Johnson's collapse.
Johnson, who entered the season as the SEC Preseason Player of the Year, collapsed early in an 83-71 loss to then-No. 20 Florida State and was rushed to a hospital on Dec. 12, where he was held for 10 days.
Florida's remaining nonconference games were postponed.
Castleton was 11 of 13 from the field and the Gators (4-1) shot 34 of 55 (62%). Scottie Lewis added 16 points, Tyree Appleby scored 13 and Noah Locke had 10. Anthony Duruji, starting in Johnson's place, finished with 11 points.
Scotty Pippen Jr. had 18 points for the Commodores (4-3). Dylan Disu added 14 points, Trey Thomas scored 12 and Myles Stute had 11.
Florida built a 16-point lead late in the first half and kept its lead in double digits for most of the second.
Tuesday's scores
LSU 77, Texas A&M 54
Alabama 82, Ole Miss 64
Kentucky-South Carolina was postponed