Kingston Flemings led Houston (6-1) with 25 points, and Milos Uzan had 17. Uzan, playing in his hometown, missed a halfcourt shot at the buzzer that would have sent the game into overtime.
Houston guard Emanuel Sharp, who averages 17.7 points per game, was limited to 21 minutes because of foul trouble. He finished with eight points.
Sharp, who scored 26 in Monday’s 78-74 overtime victory against Syracuse, picked up two fouls in the first five minutes and sat the rest of the half.
These teams met in last season's NCAA Tournament with a Final Four trip on the line. Houston won the Elite Eight game 69-50, eventually advancing to the championship before losing in the final minute to Florida.
The rematch was quite different.
Houston couldn't get much to go down in the second half, enabling Tennessee to go on a 10-point run for a 51-46 lead with 9:42 left. The Cougars went 7:24 between points and 7:42 between field goals, and they missed 11 straight shots and 16 of 18.
Tennessee remained in front the rest of the way, though the Cougars kept the game close. But the Volunteers held off Houston by converting free throws.
Up next
Houston: Wednesday or Thursday against an opponent to be determined.
Tennessee: Wednesday or Thursday against an opponent to be determined.
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