KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – After helping lead the Tennessee men’s basketball team to two victories at the Baha Mar Championship and earning the tournament’s MVP award, Chaz Lanier was honored Monday afternoon as the Lute Olson National Player of the Week.
In his first season on Rocky Top, the fifth-year guard from Nashville, Tenn., averaged 25.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.5 steals per contest in the Volunteers’ pair of games in Nassau, Bahamas. He shot 13-of-22 (59.1 percent) from long range in the two games, helping the team win the tournament title.
In Thursday’s 64-42 victory over Virginia, in which Tennessee doubled the Cavaliers, 42-21, after the halftime break, Lanier registered 26 points and four rebounds, going 6-of-12 from 3-point range.
He complemented that performance with a 25-point effort on 7-of-10 shooting from beyond the arc in Tennessee’s dominate 77-62 win over No. 13/14 Baylor, including a remarkable 7-of-8 ledger in the first half. The seven 3-pointers tied for the fifth-most in a game in program history and broke his career high of six, which he matched the prior day.
In the Volunteers’ two games at the Baha Mar Convention Center. Lanier totaled 43 points on 16-of-26 shooting, including an 11-of-16 mark from deep.
Lanier also won the SEC Player of the Week Award following his showing, as announced Monday afternoon by the league office.
The 2025 Lute Olson National Player of the Year award will be announced in April in San Antonio, site of the 2025 men’s NCAA basketball championship.
Lanier and No. 7/6 Tennessee (6-0) return home for a Wednesday matchup versus in-state foe UT Martin at 4 p.m. at Food City Center, live on SEC Network+.
To keep up with the University of Tennessee men’s basketball team on social media, follow @Vol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /tennesseebasketball on Facebook.
