The Tennessee Vols slipped past the upset-minded Colgate Raiders, 77-70, in first round NCAA tournament action on Friday afternoon.
Senior Admiral Schofield paved the way, hitting three key 3-pointers down the stretch. He finished with 19.
After the Raiders stormed back from a 12-point deficit at halftime, the Vols (30-5) stepped up in the final minutes to put the game away. Tennessee hit four of its final five shots, all of which came from beyond the arc and the last three were by All-SEC wing Schofield. The final dagger dropped through the nets with 45 seconds left to make it a 73-64 advantage.
Tennessee opened the game on a 9-0 run to take the early lead.
The Raiders, who knocked down six 3-pointers in the frame, fought back to make it a one-possession game, but the Vols rattled off a 16-2 run to take a double-digit lead into halftime, 42-30.
Turner was active on both ends of the floor in the first half, dropping 10 points behind two 3-pointers and recording three steals on the defensive end of the floor. Bowden also chipped in 10 points on a pair of threes.
Tennessee found success in the paint on both ends of the floor, outscoring Colgate, 26-10, down low. The Big Orange shot a 50-percent (18-of-36) clip from the field in the half. On the defensive end, UT forced eight turnovers while recording six steals and three blocks to keep the Raiders' offense from getting into a rhythm.
Tennessee, the #2 seed playing a 15 seed, built their halftime lead. But Colgate stormed back early in the second half behind a terrific effort by guard Jordan Burns and took the lead briefly. Burns finished with 32.
Four Vols finished with double figures. Jordan Bone had 16, Jordan Bowden 14 and Lemonte Turner 13.
Colgate was without its top player, Rapolas Ivanauskas, who suffered an eye injury that caused contact lens problems. He did not score in the game and sat on the bench in the second half with a towel over his head.
Tennessee advances to play Iowa, which beat Cincinnati.
Colgate had a 24-win season - the first time a Raider team had won 20 or more games.