Dick Vitale had special and brutal message for Chaz Lanier after huge game vs. Texas A&M

Allow us to say that Dick Vitate has been an inspiration throughout his cancer battle. The fact that he’s feeling better and back to providing analysis on college hoops is, well, it’s awesome, baby! On Saturday, Vitale was following the Top 10 showdown closely between Tennessee basketball and Texas A&M.

The No. 6 Vols were able to take down the No. 7 Aggies, with Chaz Lanier and Zakai Zeigler no question being the heroes in the action. Lanier played out of this world, scoring 22 of his 30 points in the first half. Countless people were impressed with the show he put on, including the one and only Vitale:

Dick Vitale loved what he saw out of Tennesse basketball and Chaz Lanier

You’ve got to love seeing that. As Vitale noted, Lanier buried eight triples, making him the first player in more than 10 years to reach that feat against a Top 10 squad on the road. Talk about playing with ice in your veins.

Lanier was sizzling hot in the first 20 minutes of action, paving the way for the Vols to make a statement against the Aggies. We of course can’t forget about Zeigler, though, as he continues to play like one of the best point guards in the nation.

Late in the contest, and Tennessee up three points, Zeigler buried a 3-pointer that silenced the Texas A&M crowd. Zeigler, who finished with 16 points, caught the in-bounds pass from Jordan Gainey and didn’t hesitate in firing off a contested shot. It bound the bottom of the net in sweet fashion with less than 25 seconds on the clock.

Zeigler then celebrated in style, looking to an elated Tennessee bench. Whenever Rick Barnes has needed someone to come up with a big shot, Lanier and Zeiger have been there for him – these two continue to be fan favorites.

Next up for Tennessee is a road matchup with LSU. Then, No. 4 Alabama will be in Knoxville for a blockbuster showdown. Vitale will also be following that one closely. He won’t be surprised if Lanier plays lights out once again.