Tennessee Vols Basketball Seems To Have Hit The Wall
The Tennessee Vols Men’s Basketball team seems to have hit a wall as they near the end of the season. They have also hit the point in the schedule where they are playing the best the SEC has to offer. The quality of the competition is probably the biggest issue of course, but this team has looked tired in the last two home games late in games.
The Vols have lost their last two games at home to LSU on Saturday and Kentucky last night each by 18. LSU won 73-55 and Kentucky ran away late 66-48.
A week ago today I celebrated the improbable come from behind, overtime win at Vanderbilt. The Vols erased a 5 point deficit with 15 seconds left and beat the stunned Commodores 76-73. The young Vols expended a lot of energy there in Nashville that night. It was evident Saturday.
As the Vols traveled back to Knoxville to face LSU we knew the Bayou Bengals were not a good match up for Tennessee. The Tigers were athletic, big, and talented at the guard position. LSU scored 10 points before the Vols had laced up their shoes. It was never close. As a matter of fact, it was the only time I watched this season that Tennessee was in the game. The Vols had lost a lot of games, but were in each and every one for the most part. Not this one.
Kentucky was a different story last night. The score shows they lost by 18. Tennessee played Kentucky close throughout the first half up until the 9 minute mark of the second half. Tennessee was down by 4 at half thanks to two huge three pointers in the last 57 seconds by Devin Booker and Andrew Harrison of Kentucky.
Tennessee came out scrapping and kept the game close despite shooting like me in the second half. The Vols knocked down 54% of their shots in the first half although they could not hit a shot from behind the arc. Detrick Mostella kept chucking it in the first half and was 0-4 from behind the arc and 0-6 overall. Josh Richardson was 1-7 at one point and finished with 10 points on 4-14 shooting.
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Kentucky’s defense was stifling. It was an adventure just for Josh Richardson to get the ball across half court. Josh did a pretty good job, but he had only one assist. You won’t beat Kentucky by dealing out one assist, but then again, no one has beaten Kentucky yet…period. Kentucky’s length really bothered the Volunteer shooters on the perimeter. Tennessee rushed many wide open threes because Kentucky players were closing trying to get a hand in their face.
As bad as Tennessee was shooting the Vols defense kept them in the game. With nine minutes left the Vols were down only four, and again they had many chances to be up by four at that point. They just could not convert. Kentucky then went on a 10-0 run, and it was turn out the lights. The Vols continued to be as cold as the ice outside of Thompson Boling Arena. Tennessee only scored 17 points the entire second half.
Tennessee ended up shooting 37.5% total on 21-56 shooting against the Wildcats. They shot 11.7% on 2-17 from behind the arc. That won’t get it done. The amazing thing about this team is that it seems to play better on the road than it does at home. Tennessee is 1-4 in its last 5 games at home. They are 3-2 in their last 5 on the road.
Tennessee has fallen under .500 in the SEC for the first time this season. They are not 6-7. They are down to 81 in the RPI. It won’t get any easier this weekend at Ole Miss, but again Tennessee is a much better road team.
As far as my comment on the team looking tired, it does seem like a few are losing their legs late. These guys spend so much energy in Donnie Tyndall’s match up zone that it seems to be catching up with them here lately. The Vols do not have a lot of depth so guys like Josh Richardson and Armani Moore are playing 35 minutes per game. That is a lot in this league.
Tennessee’s success is directly related to its’ defense, and it’s three point shooting. The defense has been there all season. Holding a powerful Kentucky team to 66 points is impressive. The Match ups zone made Kentucky shoot from the perimeter and it worked for the most part. However, Tennessee’s 2-17 three point shooting didn’t hold up its end in this “winning formula”.
No matter what happens from here out, I believe this team has overachieved all season. Tyndall’s zone is different from most, and for the team to catch on this quick simply amazes me. They are without superstars, although I think Josh and Armani are stars, yet still take it to their opponent each night. This team has been fun to watch. Painful at times offensively, but always fun on the defensive end.