May 6, 2024
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Jonas Aidoo had 29 points and 11 rebounds, and No. 12 Tennessee beat Southern 74-56 on Tuesday night.
The winless Eagles (0-10) had no answer for the 6-foot-11 Aidoo, who also had two steals and two blocks. Aidoo was the only double-digit scorer for the Volunteers (7-3).
“(Aidoo) was really good tonight,” Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said. “Now, it's about consistency. Can he do it the next time out?”
First-year Eagles coach Charlie Henry spent the four previous seasons as an assistant at Alabama. He saw plenty of Aidoo, a junior.
“That's a development success story for (Tennessee),” Henry said. “He has a great touch offensively. That game has expanded. He can shut off the rim on defense.”
“You can go anywhere with confidence,” said Aidoo. “It will take you anywhere.”
After trailing by as many as 28 points shortly after halftime, Georgia Southern cut the difference to 13 with a 10-point spurt midway through the second half. Derrick Harris came off the bench to score all but two of his 13 points in the second half for the Eagles.
Barnes was upset that Aidoo shot 10 of 16 from the field and his other four starters combined to go 6 of 23 and committed 11 turnovers.
“We always talk about consistency, mental toughness and discipline,” Barnes said. “They have to know it's a 40-minute game, not 20 minutes.”
Aidoo scored the first 10 points of the game and had 21 by halftime as the Vols led 49-21. It was the most first-half points scored by a Tennessee player in 10 years.
“When you give up 49 points in the first half, you don’t give yourself much of a chance,” Henry said. “Tennessee took its foot off the gas in the second half, being honest.”
Barnes' win was his 786th over 37 seasons, tying him for 15th all-time with Lefty Driesell. Driesell posted his numbers over 41 seasons.
“Is that true?” Barnes asked at the start of his meeting with the media. “I talked with (Driesell) last week. He's doing great. I guess I'll call him tomorrow.”
