LAS VEGAS, NV (utsports.com) - The University of Tennessee men's basketball team opened action at the Players Era Men's Championship with a commanding 85-60 victory Monday morning over Rutgers at MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Senior guard Ja'Kobi Gillespie poured in a career-best 32 points in just 29 minutes for No. 17/16 Tennessee (6-0) in a game it led by as many as 36 points and trailed for just 14 seconds.

The Volunteers used a 12-3 spurt in 3:38 to build an early 21-10 advantage at the 10:27 mark of the first half, at which time Gillespie already had 14 points. Shortly thereafter, freshman forward Nate Ament went on a personal 9-2 run in just 55 seconds, giving him 14 points and putting the team ahead by 19, 41-22, with 5:19 on the timer.

Tennessee continued its offensive onslaught down

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