KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Chaz Lanier scored 23 points and Zakai Zeigler had 17 points and 15 assists to lead No. 1 Tennessee past upset Middle Tennessee 82-64 on Monday night.

Felix Okpara added 12 points, Jordan Gainey had 10 and Igor Milicic Jr. grabbed 12 rebounds as the Volunteers (12-0) got off to the second-best start in program history.

The Blue Raiders (9-4), who look like a top mid-major, got 24 points off the bench from Camryn Weston and 13 from Kamari Lands.

After trailing by double digits midway through the first half, Middle Tennessee took the lead with a 12-3 run. The Blue Raiders shot 50% (16 of 32) against one of the best defenses in the country and led 40-34 at halftime. Weston had 17 points. Okpara scored 10 points for Tennessee, which shot 40.7% (11 of 27).

Takeaways

Middle Tennessee: Three key transfers helped turn things around after a frustrating 14-19 finish last season. The Blue Raiders got immediate production from Jlynn Counter (IUPUI), Lands (Arizona State) and Essam Mostafa (Coastal Carolina, TCU).

Tennessee: The Volunteers need to approach their next game with a sense of urgency. It’s the last chance to play before the Southeastern Conference schedule begins with a tough test from Arkansas. Tennessee needs to commit to helping its big men on boards.

Key moment

With about 13 minutes left, Lanier hit two free throws to give Tennessee a 52-51 lead. Less than a minute later, he drilled a 3-pointer to put the Vols up 55-51.

Key statistics

Weston, who was not in the Blue Raiders’ starting lineup, came into the game averaging 10.7 points. He had 17 at halftime and 24 at the end.

Next

Middle Tennessee visits Florida International on January 2nd, while the Vols host Norfolk State on December 31st.

——

Get AP Top 25 poll alerts and updates throughout the season. Sign up here. AP College Basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball