Gillespie scores 17 to lead No. 20 Tennessee over Tennessee State 89-60

By Canadian Press on November 20, 2025.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Ja’Kobi Gillespie scored 17 points to lead five players in double figures as No. 20 Tennessee beat Tennessee State 89-60 on Thursday night.

Nate Ament and Amaree Abram each scored 15, DeWayne Brown II had 13 and Felix Okpara scored 11 for the Volunteers (5-0).

Aaron Nkrumah scored 19 to lead the Tigers (2-3). Travis Harper II had 17 and Antoine Lorick added 12.

Gillespie had 10 points and four assists to lead the Vols to a 43-21 halftime lead. Nkrumah, the reigning Ohio Valley Conference player of the week (23.5 points, 7 rebounds) had 10 for the Tigers.

Tennessee State outrebounded the Vols in the first half 19-18, but Tennessee held a 38-30 rebounding advantage in the game.

The Vols got some good news on 6-foot-11 redshirt sophomore J.P. Estrella. Through the first three games, Estrella was averaging 17.8 points and 8.7 rebounds. Late in the first half in Monday’s win over Rice, Estrella suffered a left knee injury in a scrum of bodies. There was no structural damage to the knee. The bone bruise will keep him out 2-3 weeks.

Tennessee sophomore starting guard Bishop Boswell missed his third straight game with a left leg injury sustained in practice a couple weeks ago.

Up next

Tennessee State: The Tigers play at UNC Asheville next Tuesday night

Tennessee: The Vols will take on Rutgers next Monday in the first round of the Players Era Men’s Championship in Las Vegas.

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Al Lesar, The Associated Press