DeWayne Brown leads Tennessee basketball to strong defensive win over Wofford

Tennessee basketball head coach Rick Barnes credited DeWayne Brown II for leading the team's defensive resurgence in their season opener against Wofford, according to Yahoo Sports.

Brown delivered a career-best performance with 17 points and 17 rebounds, contributing to a 90-58 blowout win at Food City Center. This effort helped Tennessee move past two earlier exhibition losses.

Brown's 17 rebounds were the most by a Tennessee player since January 2025 and tied for the second most in Barnes' 12 seasons coaching the team. His double-double was the first 15-and-15 game for Tennessee since December 2024.

Wofford's coach Kevin Giltner described Brown as extremely physical and tough, comparing him to "running into a brick wall," highlighting Brown's defensive impact.

As one of only two returning players from last season, Brown has been entrusted with a starting role and has adjusted to a faster pace and new teammates. His performance exemplified the team's defensive improvements from their previous exhibition loss at Duke.

The Volunteers (1-0) showed significant defensive growth in this game, setting a positive tone for the season ahead.