COLUMBIA, S.C. — Tennessee is the SEC champion—outright.

The fourth-ranked Vols, who were picked to win the league in the preseason, took sole possession of the league's top spot for good Wednesday in the wake of a 66-59 victory over No. 17 South Carolina at Colonial Life Arena.

It marks the program's first conference title since 2018 and first solo crown since 2008.

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In a highly anticipated rematch of a Jan. 30 meeting between the two teams in Knoxville, Tennessee avenged a 63-59 loss, staving off a late comeback behind stellar performances from Dalton Knecht and Jonas Aidoo, who totaled 26 and 14 points, respectively as the Vols (24-6, 14-3 SEC) never trailed.

Zakai Zeigler scored 13 points and recorded seven assists.

Meechie Johnson led South Carolina (24-6, 12-5) with 18 points while Collin Murray-Boyles and Ta'Lon Cooper finished with 11 points each.

It took Knecht 12 seconds after Tennessee won the opening tip to score. His layup put the Vols ahead early and opened the way for a strong start.

Aidoo hit two jumpers and Knecht knocked down a 3-pointer to give Tennessee a 9-5 lead less than five minutes into the first half.

The Vols answered everything South Carolina threw at them early. After Cooper hit a three to pull the Gamecocks within one, Zeigler drove down the floor and made a jump shot. It was followed by a couple of James free throws to put Tennessee back up five at 15-10.

South Carolina took advantage of a two-plus minute Vols scoring drought as Davis and Johnson scored on back-to-back possessions to even the score at 15-15 with 10 minutes, 21 seconds to go in the half.

Aidoo ended the scoreless stretch with two-straight baskets to put Tennessee back in front by four but the Gamecocks tied it up again. Gainey laced a deep 3-pointer in response to provide a 22-19 lead.

Knecht made two-straight 3-pointers out of a timeout late in the half as part of an 11-2 run to close out the half which was capped by a Zeigler jumper to lead 35-24 at the intermission.

South Carolina meanwhile made just two shots over the last seven and a half minutes of the half.

The story of the first five minutes of the second half was defense on both ends as Tennessee maintained a double-digit lead. Knecht provided a jolt with a dunk off of an inbound pass to push the Vols' lead to 40-28.

Stute made a much-needed three for South Carolina to get within nine at 40-31 with under 14 minutes left. It started a 6-0 run for the Gamecocks as Tennessee didn't help its cause, missing six-straight shots and settling into a scoring drought that went on for more than four minutes.

Knecht gave Tennessee its first shot from the field in seven attempts with a corner three that he was fouled on. His free throw upped the Vols' advantage to 46-34 with less than 11 minutes remaining.

South Carolina made a go at another run to get its deficit under 10 but Zeigler silenced it with a three to pull ahead 51-39.

The Gamecocks made a number of runs at Tennessee's lead and made their biggest dent after a 3-pointer from Mack pulled them within seven at 57-50 with two minutes, 34 seconds remaining.

Knecht, as he had much of the half, quelled the run with a long two but Cooper electrified the crowd again with a three to again trim the Vols' lead to six at 59-53 as the clock ticked inside of two minutes.

South Carolina wouldn't go away. Johnson drove and scored after grabbing a rebound off of a missed free throw to make it a three-point game but with the clock on the side of the Vols, critical free throws down the stretch preserved their championship.

It's no question that the difference in what is now a championship season for Tennessee has been Knecht.

Knecht proved right away to be one of the top transfer portal additions back in early November and was a integral part of the Vols being able to claim their first outright SEC championship in more than 15 years.

Three days after recording his lowest scoring output in a month in Tennessee's 81-74 win at Alabama, Knecht was again the offensive catalyst for the Vols.

He scored a game-high 26 points on 9-of-23 shooting from the field and tallied five 3-pointers in 11 attempts.

With the title and the top seed in the SEC Tournament in Nashville next week secured, Tennessee will look to end the regular season on a high note against No. 15 Kentucky on Saturday.

The Vols downed the Wildcats, 103-92 at Rupp Arena in Lexington last month.

Kentucky (21-8, 11-5) has won six of its last eight games since that loss, including two on the road. The Wildcats hosted Vanderbilt on Wednesday.

Tip-off between Tennessee and Kentucky at Food City Center is slated for 4 p.m. ET on CBS.

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