Santiago Vescovi contending with illness ahead of Tennessee basketball’s matchup against Creighton in the March Madness tournament.
Santiago Vescovi was absent from Tennessee basketball’s Thursday practice session in Detroit due to illness.
According to Vols coach Rick Barnes, the senior guard is anticipated to participate in the game against Creighton, despite his current health condition.
“He’s feeling a bit under the weather at the moment,” Barnes remarked.
Vescovi has maintained averages of 6.5 points and 3.7 rebounds per game throughout the season.
Update on Santiago Vescovi ahead of Tennessee basketball’s match against Creighton:
Vescovi has been a starter in every game this season for Tennessee, maintaining an impressive record of starting 144 out of 148 games in his career, setting a Tennessee record. The fifth-year senior returned to UT for the current season.
In a recent game against Texas, Vescovi set a new Tennessee record for career steals, reaching 212 after recording three steals in UT’s 62-58 victory in the second round in Charlotte. Additionally, he is one of only two players in Tennessee history to make over 100 3-pointers in a single season, achieving 102 as a junior in the 2021-22 season. The other player to achieve this feat is Chris Lofton, who accomplished it three times. Vescovi also holds the third position in school history for 3-pointers made, trailing Lofton’s 431 and Allan Houston’s 346.
Notably, the Uruguayan guard is one of just two players in program history to have amassed over 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, and 400 assists.
Tennessee basketball has been fortunate to evade injuries and health concerns this season leading up to March Madness.
Among Tennessee’s top eight players in the rotation, Tobe Awaka stands as the sole player who missed a game this season prior to the Sweet 16. He was sidelined against North Carolina on November 29 due to an ankle injury sustained during the Maui Invitational tournament.
Since the absence against North Carolina, UT has consistently fielded the same starting lineup in every game. Guard Zakai Zeigler, who underwent ACL surgery last season, transitioned into the starting lineup against the Tar Heels after coming off the bench in the initial six games of the season.
