Tennessee Stuns Kansas to Win The Battle 4 Atlantis

Vols Win Battle Over Defending NCAA Champs, 64-50

PARADISE ISLAND, BAHAMAS – Coming into the final game of the 2022 Battle 4 Atlantis, one would have thought the Kansas Jayhawks, the number 3 team in the nation, would have a cakewalk – or if we’re trying to be country-appropriate, a conch-style – to a tournament victory against the number 22 team in college, the Tennessee Volunteers.

Sure, they had to tough it out in the semi- against unranked Wisconsin before overcoming them in a thrilling overtime victory 69-68, thanks to a ridiculous last-second putback by Bobby Pettiford. But that game was an outlier. 

They’d blow out their next opponent and freshman sensation Brady Dick would rebound from an off-night against Wisconsin, and regain the shooting touch that draft experts claim makes him a lock to get drafted in the lottery.  

They would also say that Jalen Wilson, one of the leading scorers and rebounders in college basketball at 24 and 10 respectively, would play to his averages against an overmatched Tennesee. 

Tennessee would say something different.

The Vols scratched and clawed the defending national champs all night, sending swarms of defenders at Kansas sharpshooter Gradey Dick, allowing him little room to get his shot up, holding him to only 7 points on 2 of 8 shooting. They also collapsed on Wilson, a crafty finisher on his forays into the paint holding him to 3-15 shooting.

It was ugly for Rock Chalk.

Collectively, Kansas shot 32 percent from the field, a significant drop from their 46 percent season average, while making only 5 of their 21 3-point attempts.

Tennessee’s bid for their first-ever B4A Championship was bolstered by eventual tournament MVP Santiago Vescovi. The Uruguayan guard scored 20 points on 6-16 shooting, making 5 three-pointers. 

Guard Zakai Zeigler also gave the boys from Rocky Top a big boost off the bench, making 3 of his 5 three-pointers, some of which extinguished Kansas runs. He also helped apply pressure on the perimeter as well, swiping 4 steals, and using his speed and strength to convert his defence into points.

Not only was this a huge upset, but it put the college basketball world on notice that Tennessee can compete with anyone in college basketball. 

Congratulations to Tennessee and head coach Rick Barnes for winning the 2022 Battle 4 Atlantis.