Admiral Schofield's huge game rallies No. 7 Tennessee to upset of No. 1 Gonzaga

PHOENIX — Admiral Schofield didn’t understand what Tennessee coach Rick Barnes meant when he said the Volunteers were too emotional in an overtime loss to Kansas a little more than two weeks ago.

Then he watched Alabama and Georgia play for an SEC football championship a week later and it clicked. He saw a Georgia team dominate the game offensively and defensively, but with too much emotion against a poised Alabama team.

He understood then. And it showed Sunday, as that lesson — the lack of composure Tennessee had against No. 2 Kansas at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on Nov. 23 — led to a calming action from the senior forward at a chaotic juncture Sunday against No. 1 Gonzaga.

Schofield banked in an NBA 3-pointer to knot the game with 80 seconds left, walked toward his frantic teammates and lowered his hands to hush them.

"All I could think about was I didn’t want this to be a repeat of the Kansas game — being close to a top five team and not finishing," Schofield said.

Schofield personally ensured it wouldn’t be. He followed his game-tying three with a second pro-range 3-pointer to break the tie with 22 seconds remaining. The Volunteers got the marquee win that eluded them in New York, knocking off No. 1 Gonzaga in a 76-73 win behind Schofield’s 25 second-half points.

"Honestly, in reality, it’s a big statement," Schofield said. "We’re not going to act like it’s not a big deal. For us, it’s not. We’re only playing in December. We’re not playing for championships in December, you’re playing for championships in March."

Schofield led No. 7 Tennessee (7-1) with a career-high 30 points in handing Gonzaga (9-1) its first loss. He made 10 shots in the second half, burying 5-of-8 from 3-point range.

Grant Williams had 16 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists before fouling out with 2:30 to play. Jordan Bowden scored 11, making a series of important shots when Tennessee needed them most.

"I do think we’ve learned," Barnes said. "I think a year ago we learned from our early loss to Villanova. I think we learned some things from the Kansas game and understanding the ebbs and flows of the game, but also realizing how important every possession is.

"But also realizing you don’t have to play perfect. You just have to stay together. We did that."

Tennessee led 34-33 at the half, Bowden’s first bucket — a jumper with three seconds left — gave them the lead after Gonzaga controlled Tennessee for a hefty stretch.

But the Vols couldn’t score to open the second half and Gonzaga couldn’t miss, taking a seven-point lead.

Bowden got the Vols started with a 3-pointer before Schofield scored five straight to propel the Vols within one.

Gonzaga’s Zach Norvell tried to bury Tennessee with 3-pointers, pushing Gonzaga ahead by eight as Schofield did his best to keep Tennessee alive.

Tennessee trailed by nine with 6:15 to play. Bowden got the Vols back within three, sandwiching a pair of 3-pointers around a Jordan Bone layup. Williams made a floater and Schofield calmly made a wide-open wing 3-pointer to the game 68-68.

"We found a way to stay in there and just made plays," Barnes said. "We relied on our older guys here at the end."

Gonzaga retook the lead before Schofield scored five straight — the latter three points smacking off the glass and giving Tennessee its first second-half lead. Gonzaga tied Tennessee with a pair of free throws, and the Vols called timeout with 30 seconds to play.

Barnes drew up what Tennessee perfectly executed, correcting the very issue he lamented in the loss to Kansas.

Schofield set a high screen and Bone dribbled away to his left. Schofield floated back to his right, settling behind the NBA 3-point line at the Phoenix Suns’ arena. He rose and Barnes thought back to how many hours he has watched Schofield work in Tennessee’s Pratt Pavilion in the past four years.

"He is going to make shots and he’s not afraid of that moment," Barnes said.

Schofield nailed it, finishing the game the way it started — a 3-pointer from the senior — to secure the program’s fifth win against a No. 1 team in its history.

"We’re just going to go back to the drawing board and get better," Schofield said. "All this does is put an even bigger target on us. Everyone wants to be the No. 1 team, but it’s even better to be the team that beat the No. 1 team. So our focus isn’t about numbers and who is No. 1, who is top ten.

"It’s about going out and competing, playing Tennessee tough."

The Knoxville News Sentinel is part of the USA TODAY Network.