men’s top 25 \ Friday’s game

No. 9 Tennessee 75, Middle Tennessee 54

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — J.P. Prince scored a season-high 17 points, and Tennessee showed off its depth in beating Middle Tennessee 7 in the first game of the Sun Belt Classic doubleheader. The Vols (7-1) hadn’t played since downing East Tennessee State on Dec. 2, and the nine-day layoff led to some sloppy play. The ugliest came when Wayne Chism clanked his one-handed dunk attempt off the right rim in the second half. Vanderbilt played Western Kentucky in the second game pitting two Sun Belt teams against Tennessee’s two Southeastern Conference members. Middle Tennessee (3-6) lost its third straight overall and eighth consecutive in the series. Desmond Yates led the Blue Raiders with 26 points, and James Washington had 11. Bobby Maze added 12 points for Tennessee, which shot 50 percent (27-of-54) for the game.

Associated Press