WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Neither team scored for the final 4:09 of game as No. 20/25 Georgetown fended off Tennessee, 37-36, in the SEC/BIG EAST Challenge at the Verizon Center. No player scored more than eight points for either team.
Jordan McRae and Skylar McBee each missed 3-pointers in the final four seconds, as they were unable to convert for the Vols (4-2).
Georgetown's game-winning basket -- the final one of the game -- came with 4:09 left in regulation as Markel Starks hit a jumper for the 37-36 lead, and eventual final score.
The Hoyas (5-1) were led by 8-point scorers Greg Whittington, Mikael Hopkins and Otto Porter.
Against the taller Hoyas, the Vols owned the glass, outrebounding Georgetown, 37-29, with Jarnell Stokes leading the way with nine boards.
Trae Golden grabbed a career-high eight rebounds to go with eight points, tying with McBee for the team-high in points.
Tennessee took possession of the ball for the final shot after Georgetown threw the ball out of bounds with 20.9 seconds left in regulation. McBee missed a 3-pointer with 3.4 seconds and McRae missed one as time expired.
With six minutes left in regulation the teams traded buckets for a two-minute span as Kenny Hall and Golden sandwiched a layup by Greg Whittington as the Vols led 36-35 coming down the stretch. Starks answered with 4:09 left to regain the lead for Georgetown at 37-36 with 4:09 left in the game. That was the final hoop of the game.
The game was the lowest combined score in a Tennessee game since the Vols' 11-6 win over Temple on Dec. 15, 1973. That was the last time the Vols held a Division I opponent to as few as 37 points.
In holding, Georgetown to 37 points, it was UT's best defensive scoring effort since holding Ohio Northern to 33 points in a 40-33 Vols' win on Nov. 25, 1983.
For Tennessee, the 36 points are the second-lowest for the shot-clock era and lowest since the Vols had 35 vs. Auburn on Jan. 15, 1997 in a 43-35 loss.
The teams combined to shoot 31-of-89 overall for 34.8 percent and 4-of-24 from 3-point land (16.7 percent).
Georgetown went on a 13-4 rune early in the second half as Jabril Trawick knocked down a 3-pointer with 15 minutes left in the second half putting the Hoyas up 27-20.
Josh Richardson's swooping layup brought the Vols within four at 31-27 with 10 minutes left in the second half and forcing the Hoyas to call timeout. The 9-0 run continued on a runner by Golden making it 31-29.
Skylar McBee gave the Vols a brief lead at 32-31 on a long-range 3-pointer as the shot clock was expiring with 8:14 left in the second half.
The first half ended with Golden's 17-foot bank shot at the buzzer which gave the Vols an 18-16 halftime lead. Jordan McRae had tied the game at 16 with one minute left in the first half on a 3-pointer. Tennessee scored the final seven points of the half, all in the last 1:38 to grab the lead.
The Hoyas were held without a field goal for the final 10:17 of the first half.
Tennessee scored seven consecutive points and held Georgetown scoreless for a span of 6:19 to pull within 12-11 after falling behind 12-4. Georgetown's Mikael Hopkins ended the drought by making a free throw with 3:58 left in the half.
The teams combined to shoot 13-of-48 in the first half for 27 percent and just 2-of-13 from 3-point range for just 15 percent. No player scored more than six points in the first half.
The Vols continue play in the Mid-Atlantic Region at Virginia of the ACC on Wednesday at 7 p.m. That game will air on ESPN3 and be available on UTSports.com. The Vol Network carries the game over the airwaves.