Vols top Tigers

Santiago Vescovi scored 15 points, and Yves Pons and Jaden Springer added 13 each as No. 7 Tennessee defeated No. 12 Missouri 73-53 on Wednesday night in the SEC opener for both teams.

COLUMBIA, Mo. — Santiago Vescovi scored 15 points, and Yves Pons and Jaden Springer added 13 apiece as No. 7 Tennessee blitzed No. 12 Missouri 73-53 on Wednesday night in the SEC opener for both teams.

The Volunteers (7-0) shot 50% from the floor and were selective with their shots, going 5 of 7 from beyond the arc.

Playing its first road game of the season, Tennessee was at home in Mizzou Arena. The Volunteers made their first seven shots on midrange jumpers and three-point shots, building a 21-4 lead.

Missouri (6-1) didn’t get many chances to play at its preferred fast pace because it began most possessions by pulling the ball from the net. Tennessee built a 38-24 lead by the break.

The second half was much the same, as the Volunteers hit their first three shots and scored eight points in the first minute and a half.

In both halves, Missouri Coach Cuonzo Martin called a timeout within the first two minutes to try to settle his team down. Tennessee stretched its lead to 28 points midway through the second half.

Xavier Pinson led Missouri with 11 points.

In other SEC games Wednesday night, Iverson Molinar scored a career-high 24 points, D.J. Stewart Jr. added 18 and Mississippi State beat previously unbeaten Georgia 83-73 in Athens, Ga. Molinar made 4 three-pointers and was 8 of 14 from the floor. Stewart was 8-of20 shooting and had 7 rebounds. Deivon Smith had all 13 of his points in the first half for Mississippi State (6-3). P.J. Horne made five three-pointers and finished with a career-best 21 points to lead Georgia (7-1). … Colin Castleton scored 23 points as Florida downed Vanderbilt 91-72 in Nashville, Tenn. Scottie Lewis added 16 points for Florida (4-1). Scotty Pippen Jr. led Vanderbilt (4-3) with 18 points.

In other Top 25 games Wednesday night, Macio Teague had 18 points for No. 2 Baylor (8-0) in a 105-76 victory over Alcorn State in Waco, Texas. Tyree Corbett had 24 points to lead Alcorn State (0-5). … Kihei Clark had 19 points and five assists, and No. 23 Virginia (5-2, 1-0) continued its dominance over Notre Dame, beating the Irish 66-57 in South Bend, Ind. Notre Dame (3-5, 0-2) fell despite a career-high 28 points from Nate Laszewski. … Justin Ahrens came off the bench to score 18 points and freshman Zed Key added 14 points on 5-for-5 shooting as No. 25 Ohio State used balanced scoring to beat Nebraska 90-54 in Columbus, Ohio. Duane Washington Jr. added 13 points, Justice Sueing 12 and Seth Towns 11 as Ohio State (8-2, 2-2 Big Ten) got points from 10 players and won for the third time in four games. The Cornhuskers (4-6, 0-3) lost their third consecutive game.