Tennessee tops Texas A&M for school-record 16th straight win

No. 1 Tennessee went on the road to Texas A&M Saturday night and did what it has done in each of its last 16 games — found a way to win.

The Vols defeated the Aggies 93 to 76, behind Grant Williams, Admiral Schofield, Jordan Bone, Jordan Bowden and Lamonte Turner all scoring in double figures. Williams led Tennessee with 22 points.

Tennessee opened the game on a 28-9 run, making 12 of its first 13 field goal attempts. But Texas A&M was not going to go away that easily, as the Aggies answered with a 22-8 run of their own to cut the Vols’ lead to seven at halftime.

Texas A&M kept things tight in the second half, cutting the Vols’ lead to just two points on multiple occasions. But every time Tennessee needed an answer, someone provided it — Bone and Turner delivered multiple big 3-pointers to answer A&M runs.

Late in the second half, Bone and Turner spurred a 10-3 Tennessee run to extend the Vols’ lead back out to 13 points and put Tennessee back up for good. Bone delivered one of his best performances of the season, pouring in 18 points on 7-of-7 shooting and adding 10 assists and five rebounds.

Much like in its previous few road games, Tennessee had moments where it appeared to be on shaky ground, but the Vols answered the Aggies — as they have every opponent in their last 16 contests — every single time.

Even when pushed to its limit on the road in a hostile environment, this Tennessee team simply found a way. Experience winning games like the Vols won Saturday night will serve them well when the calendar turns to March.

Tennessee returns to the court on Tuesday night when it takes on Missouri in Knoxville.