The Official #5 Tennessee vs. Louisville Game Thread, 5:00 PM ET, ESPN2

#1

YankeeVol

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#1
NIT SEASON TIP-OFF

#5 Tennessee Volunteers: 3-0 (0-0 SEC)

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vs.


Louisville Cardinals : 3-0 (0-0 ACC)

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GAME 4 | TENNESSEE VS. LOUISVILLE - Nov. 21, 2018 | 5 p.m. ET | | NIT Season Tip-Off | Barclays Center


Line: UT -8.5
O/U: 144.5


TV: ESPN2
Radio: Vol Network
Satellite Radio: Sirius: 138, XM: 191
Online: WatchESPN.com


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#2
#2
THE SERIES

Tennessee trails the all-time series with Louisville, 7-12.

The Cardinals have a 2-1 advantage at neutral sites, but the Vols won the lone meeting in New York City (100-84 on March 29, 1985, in the NIT).
 
#3
#3
A WIN WOULD…

Move Rick Barnes past legendary coach John Wooden on the Division I all-time wins list. Barnes and Wooden are currently tied for 26th with 664 career victories.

Improve UT's record vs. current members of the ACC to 111-99.

Give the Volunteers their fifth win over an ACC team during the last two seasons.

Preserve Tennessee's perfect record at 4-0.
 
#4
#4
STAT RANKINGS

Tennessee ranks in the national top 20 in three defensive statistical categories. The Vols are ranked third in field-goal percentage defense (.293), 15th in scoring defense (53.0 ppg) and 18th in 3-point field-goal defense (.228).

Tennessee junior Grant Williams ranks second in the SEC in both scoring (22.0 ppg) and field-goal percentage (.647).

Williams is riding back-to-back 20-point performances. He has never strung together three straight 20-point games.

Senior wing Admiral Schofield ranks second in the SEC in minutes played (33.7 mpg), while junior guard Jordan Bowden ranks third in both 3-point percentage (.583) and assist/turnover ratio (6.0).
 
#5
#5
ABOUT LOUISVILLE

A new era has begun in Louisville this season, as Chris Mack took over the helm of the men's basketball program. Mack, who spent the previous nine seasons at Xavier, led the Musketeers to eight NCAA Tournament appearances and reached the Sweet Sixteen on four occasions as well as the Elite Eight in 2017. In 2017-18, Xavier won its first Big East Conference regular-season championship and earned the school's first-ever No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Mack was honored as the 2018 Big East Coach of the Year.

Mack has a roster full of experience, with nine upperclassmen and three graduate transfers.

Last season, Louisville missed out on the NCAA Tournament but earned a bid to the NIT, where the Cardinals advanced to the quarterfinals.

Sophomore forward Jordan Nwora leads the Cardinals in scoring (18.0 ppg) and rebounding (6.3 rpg) through three games despite coming off the bench in every outing. He is coming off a career-high 22 point performance on 7-of-11 shooting to go along with five rebounds.

Three other players to keep an eye on for Louisville are Darius Perry, Steven Enoch and V.J. King. So far, Perry (14.7 ppg, 2.0 apg) and Enoch (14.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.0 bpg) are both shooting better than 73 percent from the field and 88 percent from the free-throw line. King, who started all 36 games last year, rounds out the team's double-digit scorers with 11.3 ppg to go with 4.3 rpg.

Louisville's offensive production has been prolific this season. It averages 91.7 ppg while holding opponents to just 68.0 ppg. The Cardinals have excelled at getting to the charity stripe. They are averaging 42 trips to the free-throw line, where they are converting 78 percent of their attempts.
 
#6
#6
LAST MEETING WITH LOUISVILLE

One of the most successful seasons in Tennessee basketball history came to a close as third-seeded Louisville downed the second-seeded Volunteers, 79-60, in in the East Regional final in Charlotte on March 27, 2008. Ironically, the Vols were ranked fifth in the AP poll at the time of that game; Louisville was ranked 13th.

Earl Clark scored 17 points and had 12 rebounds to lead Louisville, and Rick Pitino's mix of defenses made life miserable for SEC Champion Tennessee.

Pitino's signature zone and pressure limited the high-scoring Volunteers to 34-percent shooting.

Louisville nearly blew all of a 16-point first-half lead, only to take control midway through the second half.

All-American guard Chris Lofton scored 15 points for Tennessee, but was 3-for-15 in his final game as a Vol.

After a slow start, Tennessee got within 37-36 early in the second half thanks to its own defensive pressure, which forced 20 turnovers.

But then the springy Clark, who had come on in the NCAA Tournament, had a driving layup, hit a baseline jumper and converted a three-point play during a 13-5 run.

Louisville's defense didn't allow Tennessee to get back in it again, and the Cardinals hit all nine free throws over the final five minutes to keep Tennessee at bay.

JaJuan Smith added 12 points for Tennessee, and Tyler Smith scored 11.
 
#7
#7
TENNESSEE MAKING FOURTH APPEARANCE IN NIT SEASON TIP-OFF

Tennessee is making its fourth all-time appearance in the NIT Season Tip-Off this week.

Tennessee opens play with a matchup against Louisville Wednesday at 5 p.m. ET. The other side of the bracket features a contest between Kansas and Marquette. The winners and losers of each game on Wednesday will meet two days later on Friday.

In its last NIT Season Tip-Off appearance, UT won the 2010 championship with victories over VCU and Villanova at Madison Square Garden.

The Vols also appeared in the 1992 and 2006 NIT Season Tip-Offs. The Big Orange defeated Rutgers before falling to Seton Hall in 1992. In 2006, UT suffered losses to Butler and North Carolina at Madison Square Garden.

Both Tennessee (No. 5) and the Jayhawks (No. 2) enter the tournament ranked in the top 10 of the AP poll. If the two teams meet on Friday, the game would mark UT's fifth contest against a top-10 non-conference foe during the last three seasons.
 
#16
#16
thanks Yank...we have some balling to do to get some payback...Cards have pulled out some close ones...now, it's our time...

GO VOLS...BEAT LOUISVULLE...:p
 
#18
#18
I love these early season tournaments because it’s usually great competition but I really wish they could schedule them one week later. It’s not fair to all these kids and coaches having to be away from their families during Thanksgiving.

As far as the game goes, I think this should be a great game that comes down to the wire. Mack is a great coach and he will have his guys ready to play. If we come out and play like we did against GT we will probably lose this game. Have to start knocking down free throws or it’s going to cost us some games.
 
#22
#22
I love these early season tournaments because it’s usually great competition but I really wish they could schedule them one week later. It’s not fair to all these kids and coaches having to be away from their families during Thanksgiving.

As far as the game goes, I think this should be a great game that comes down to the wire. Mack is a great coach and he will have his guys ready to play. If we come out and play like we did against GT we will probably lose this game. Have to start knocking down free throws or it’s going to cost us some games.

While I do understand that there’s a lot worse things than spending a week in New York City
 
#24
#24
I love these early season tournaments because it’s usually great competition but I really wish they could schedule them one week later. It’s not fair to all these kids and coaches having to be away from their families during Thanksgiving.

Yeah but I mean you can say the same thing about other sports. Lots of football players don't get to go be with their families because they are either playing on Thanksgiving or having to stick around because they have practice for the game Saturday. Same for some bowl teams around Christmas.

It just kind of how it is.
 
#25
#25
Our guys usually elevate to the better competition. I expect it to be close if our shots don't fall or a blow out if they do. This D will keep us in every game.
 

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