Most unexpected win in the Barnes era?

[walkenvol]

I don’t recall another game where I had lower expectations going into tipoff. For me, this is on par with the 22 football victory over bama.

 

[JCP201]

I didn't have high expectations-- especially after the blow out at Florida. Who would have thought that we'd give it back to them, without ZZ?

 

[BernardKingGOAT]

I don’t recall another game where I had lower expectations going into tipoff. For me, this is on par with the 22 football victory over bama.

Coming from 19 down in Lexington in 2020 and winning. Fulky on a tear

 

[CNeagleVolFan]

I don’t recall another game where I had lower expectations going into tipoff. For me, this is on par with the 22 football victory over bama.

That was the equivalent of beating a football team like Alabama this year without Nico and without our starting center.

 

[SGMVols]

This was our 6th straight home win against an AP top 5 team.

That’s a new SEC record.

Not even Kentucky has ever done that before.

 

[deezvols]

I feel like this game gave us a whole new identity for when ZZ needs rest. We took a lot less 3’s and actually scored down low.

 

[DooleyOrangePants]

This was impressive. Some adversity and forcing the team to work the ball inside/out and working for their shots/not settling really opened things up.

 

[wrangler]

Maybe some guys played like they're supposed to, since they knew they didn't have ZZ and Igor to pick up the slack if they didn't.

 

[BernardKingGOAT]

Maybe some guys played like they're supposed to, since they knew they didn't have ZZ and Igor to pick up the slack if they didn't.

Much like we played at the end of the first half against UK

 

[deezvols]

I hope we can continue with this style of basketball and just insert ZZ and IM into it rather than going back to the other style

 

[tennrich1]

IMO…when this team plays defense like it did today after being AWOL in Kentucky game…we can beat any team in college basketball…especially on our home floor. Rick said post game the only game we’ve lost where our defense showed up… was at Auburn. Did Missing ZZ and IM make it more difficult ? Of course… but being without key players often causes teams to hyperfocus and concentrate. Clearly that’s what we did today!

 

[cncchris33]

I don’t recall another game where I had lower expectations going into tipoff. For me, this is on par with the 22 football victory over bama.

Reminds me of the 2009-10 team that beat #1 Kansas with only 6 scholarship players after the infamous new year's day gun incident/traffic stop that knocked out Smith, Melvin Goins, Brian Williams, and Cam Tatum, each for an amount of time.

 

[fear]

probably when zz tore his acl a few years back i remember everyone calling the first round upset

 

[BernardKingGOAT]

That was the equivalent of beating a football team like Alabama this year without Nico and without our starting center.

And two starting WRs and Pearce.

 

[BernardKingGOAT]

Reminds me of the 2009-10 team that beat #1 Kansas with only 6 scholarship players after the infamous new year's day gun incident/traffic stop that knocked out Smith, Melvin Goins, Brian Williams, and Cam Tatum, each for an amount of time.

That win gave them the confidence they could win big games, short handed. Probably a jolt to the EE run that year

 

[VolsSportsFan]

This is the game the UK game should have been if we had played great defense the whole game.

 

[BernardKingGOAT]

I didn't have high expectations-- especially after the blow out at Florida. Who would have thought that we'd give it back to them, without ZZ?

Not just without ZZ but the 10 and 8 we get from Igor

 

[The Tall Gguy]

Won big with 2 hands tied behind our back. I'm shocked.

 

[BernardKingGOAT]

Won big with 2 hands tied behind our back. I'm shocked.

We're 18-4. Last year we were 17-5 at this same point, but winning a high level game like this is a little bit unexpected with 2 starters and 21 pts/game out the entire game.

 

[87Vol]

Well, that certainly was unexpected! I’m so pleasantly surprised! I wish we could play with that kind of intensity and lock down defense all the time. I utterly shocked we could win that game being down two starting players and shooting the way we do. Kudos to the guys for really stepping up today and showing heart and toughness!

 

[Putbacks]

Oops! Did we say that?
”But….but….but….”

 

[Orange-U-Glad]

This team is incredibly unpredictable. They play lights out defense and crush a team that embarrassed them two weeks ago. How? I’m sure some people lost money on what looked like a sure thing. They could go deep in the tournament or lose in the first round. Neither would surprise me.

 

[kckempf]

Oops! Did we say that?
View attachment 718826”But….but….but….”

Kind of looks like the predictions here! I’m sure Draya is happy to be wrong.

 

[tennrich1]

Oops! Did we say that?
View attachment 718826”But….but….but….”

That’s why USUALLY these people are muted on my TV. They are basically shooting in the dark like all of us

 

[GrayWaterCanine]

Any game in March?