Antonio Barton scored 19 points and host Memphis cruised to a 69-51 victory over in-state rival Tennessee on Wednesday in the final non-conference game for both teams.

Tarik Black added 18 points and seven rebounds for Memphis (9-5), which has won three straight and enters Conference USA play with some much-needed confidence after a disastrous start to the season.

Trae Golden scored 22 points for the Volunteers (7-7), who had their four-game winning streak snapped.

It was the rare occasion that the fierce rivals have meet twice in one season, and this contest was nothing like the first. In that game, on Nov. 22 in Maui, the teams traded dunks and 3-pointers in the Tigers’ wildly entertaining 99-97 double-overtime win.

Both teams struggled for the most part this time, but Memphis was in control throughout.

The Tigers trailed only briefly in the first half and led 28-20 at intermission thanks to an 11-5 run over the final 6:32. The Volunteers never got closer than eight points in the second half, and Memphis finally pulled away thanks to a 13-6 run that gave it a 57-41 lead with just over four minutes to play.

There was a moment of silence prior to tip off for former Tigers coach Gene Bartow, who succumbed to a long battle with stomach cancer on Tuesday. Bartow, best known as the coach who succeeded John Wooden at UCLA, led the Tigers to the 1973 national championship game.