NEW YORK — Tennessee backed up its No. 1 claim on basketball's grandest stage Tuesday night.

A little over 24 hours after the Vols took the top spot in both major polls, they looked every bit the part more often than not against Miami in their Jimmy V Classic bout, using an emphatic close to the first half and then late push to hold off the Hurricanes in 75-62 victory at Madison Square Garden.

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The storyline from another convincing Vols (9-0) triumph was a fitting one and worthy of the Garden and New York City: Zakai Zeigler, Tennessee's star senior guard and the local kid who grew up in nearby Long Island and dreamed of playing on the city's most fabled court, was among the headliners.

He missed the chance two years ago because of injury. He watched from the sideline as Tennessee's season ended against Florida Atlantic in the Sweet 16. His most recent homecoming was far more enjoyable.

Zeigler scored 13 points and finished just shy of a double-double with nine assists. Chaz Lanier led the way in scoring for the Vols (9-0), totaling 22 points, including two big shots late when Miami (3-7) was threatening.

Igor Milicic Jr. scored 16 and grabbed a team-high nine rebounds.

Whatever Miami's defensive strategy was in the first couple of minutes, it probably didn't include leaving Chaz Lanier open.

Lanier, Tennessee's offensive kick-starter and leading scorer, took advantage of open looks early. He hit a pair of 3-pointers and Jahmai Mashack rattled in one of his one from the corner to give the Vols the lead.

The Hurricanes didn't let it unravel, though. Nijel Pack and Austin Swartz made some threes, too and drew even with Tennessee before the first timeout a few seconds past the first media timeout at 11-11.

Jordan Gainey, fresh off of the bench, burried a three out of the timeout and Miami punched back with another from Pack. Then shots were suddenly hard to come by.

Igor Milicic Jr. free throws put the Vols back in the lead at 16-14 with 12 minutes to go in the half, but both teams went more than three minutes without a field goal, a span that Tennessee went 0-for-4 in.

Milicic ended the drought after Cade Phillips dished him a pass under the basket and he finished it off with a dunk to stretch the lead to 18-15. Lanier followed it with his third 3-pointer on the next offensive possession and Tennessee was ahead 21-15.

Miami didn't go away. The Hurricanes strung together a 7-0 run and took the lead for the first time at 25-24 following a Lynn Kidd jumper with eight minutes before the intermission.

Zakai Zeigler, fouled on a step-back three-point attempt, put the Vols back in front with the ensuing free throws and Gainey offered another jolt off of the bench to stretch the lead to 30-25 with a 3-pointer.

Mashack provided even more cushion, swelling the run to 14-0 over seven minutes and the lead to 38-25 after driving in for a score in transition after a Miami turnover inside of a minute to go in the half.

On the defensive end, Tennessee held the Hurricanes scoreless over the last 7:22 and just 33.3% shooting in the first half to go into the break up 13.

Life that had seemingly escaped Miami at the end of the first half was found in the early-going of the second, but Zeigler helped quell the Hurricanes hot start with a deep three and then a layup to go up 45-31.

Miami seemed like it wasn't going to recapture what little spark it showed because Tennessee's defense was suffocating. On one defensive possession, Mashack batted around a Hurricanes pass to the paint and then gathered it in along the sideline.

As he toed the line, he was able to get the ball out to Milicic around midcourt. Then Mililic lobbed a pass to Phillips, who completed the alleyoop, igniting the Vols' bench and the orange-clad contingent that made the trip to midtown Manhattan.

Phillips did it again a few minutes later, this time off of an assist from Zeigler and Tennessee felt in complete control up 55-37 with less than 12 minutes remaining. But Miami, as it turned out, had a run left in it.

The Hurricanes went on a 9-0 run to trim the Vols' once-commanding lead to eight after a turnover turned into a Kidd dunk on the other end. Lanier had a much-needed shot bounce around the rim before falling in, but Miami answered again to trim Tennessee's advantage to 61-53.

Lanier came through again with a couple of free throws and then Zeigler and Milicic got their hands on two Hurricanes shots on one possession, which ended in a shot-clock violation.

When Miami drew close again, Milicic connected from deep to put Tennessee back up 10 at 66-56 with four minutes on the clock. A defensive stand that ended in a Hurricanes turnover followed, then a Lanier score gave the Vols some breathing room at 68-56.

Pack laced a three out of the last media timeout to get Miami back under double digits, but a Lanier corner three was the dagger. Tennessee had a 73-62 lead with just over a minute left and the Hurricanes had no more scoring bursts left.

Tennessee will cap its three-game stretch against power conference teams on the road Saturday.

The Vols will play Illinois in the second of a home-and-home between the two teams. Tennessee won the last meeting in Knoxville last December, 86-79.

The Fighting Illini are 6-2, including wins over Arkansas and Oakland and losses to Alabama and Northwestern in their Big Ten opener in their last outing.

Tip-off between Tennessee and Illinois is slated for 5:30 p.m. ET on FOX.

KenPom projects the Vols to win, 74-71.

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