#9 in preseason AP poll

#26
#26
Backwards K said:
I hope you are right but from the scores of the games vs the "Itly boys", it will definitely be a little more challenging vs the SEC competition. As I said, they should be good but there is nothing of consequence to suggest they are a top 10 team in the nations at this poing.
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We finished last season in the sweet 16 (without maybe the most important player on the roster), got eliminated by a final four team, kept everyone of consequence, and added multiple dynamic scoring options. You’re right, absolutely nothing to suggest top 10.
 
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#28
#28
VoltillweFall said:
Biggest Question is in the post . If Tobe and Jonas can really Be dominant and we are not as outside dependent it will free up some lanes and shooting! Estrella and Cade give us 5-7 mins of strong play we will make sweet 16 at least. Defensively we know we will be top 15
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I think Knecht and Gainey's ability to score on the SEC level are the biggest question marks. I'm not too worried about Aidoo and Awaka.
 
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#29
#29
It is reassuring to know that Knecht and Gainey are facing--and scoring on--probably the SEC's best defense every day in practice. They are getting tested now. They have hung in there, whereas Ledlum bailed.
 
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#31
#31
Chris4Vols22 said:
I think Knecht and Gainey's ability to score on the SEC level are the biggest question marks. I'm not too worried about Aidoo and Awaka.
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Agree. The only thing I will say about our post play is that I am looking for Aidoo to become a more consistent scorer and I really hope Awaka can raise his FT %'age (if he can then he will likely have a breakout season).
 
#32
#32
This thread makes me wonder if some of y'all even watched this team play last year. They defended well but there were a lot of holes in their game. This is a top 10 team if:
--Tobe and/or Aidoo can develop even a semblance of being able to score against quality teams
--Knect is truly athletic enough to compete in SEC and he can taks some pressure off Vescovi with 3 pt shooting
--If there is a player who can beat their man off the dribble and finish at the rim
 
#33
#33
Backwards K said:
This thread makes me wonder if some of y'all even watched this team play last year. They defended well but there were a lot of holes in their game. This is a top 10 team if:
--Tobe and/or Aidoo can develop even a semblance of being able to score against quality teams
--Knect is truly athletic enough to compete in SEC and he can taks some pressure off Vescovi with 3 pt shooting
--If there is a player who can beat their man off the dribble and finish at the rim
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Tennessee was a top-10 team more than half of the year, last year, though, even with those offensive deficiencies. You talk like they were hot garbage.

They lost Phillips, Nkamhoua, Key, Plavsic, and Edwards, none of which were the missing offensive key. They added Dilione, Knecht, Gainey, Estrella, Carr, Jefferson, and Phillips. On paper, that's an upgrade.

We have three 5th-year seniors, all of whom may start, and four juniors who will all play.

Sure, there are some questions, but the same can be said for every team out there. Every roster has seen some level of turnover. We are ranked by the media and coaches as a top-10 team. So while your concerns are noted, maybe it's time to accept the idea that maybe this team is a little better than you'd like to believe and not necessarily defined by last year's deficiencies. Turning over half your roster provides some currently unanswered questions, but also some potential solutions.

To me, the biggest key is one you didn't even mention, and that is Zakai's health and availability.
 
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#34
#34
cncchris33 said:
Tennessee was a top-10 team more than half of the year, last year, though, even with those offensive deficiencies. You talk like they were hot garbage.

They lost Phillips, Nkamhoua, Key, Plavsic, and Edwards, none of which were the missing offensive key. They added Dilione, Knecht, Gainey, Estrella, Carr, Jefferson, and Phillips. On paper, that's an upgrade.

We have three 5th-year seniors, all of whom may start, and four juniors who will all play.

Sure, there are some questions, but the same can be said for every team out there. Every roster has seen some level of turnover. We are ranked by the media and coaches as a top-10 team. So while your concerns are noted, maybe it's time to accept the idea that maybe this team is a little better than you'd like to believe and not necessarily defined by last year's deficiencies. Turning over half your roster provides some currently unanswered questions, but also some potential solutions.

To me, the biggest key is one you didn't even mention, and that is Zakai's health and availability.
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ZZ coming back will be big...added offense through portal..Vescovi will have better looks at rim with the addition of Knecht..this will be a stellar year for this team...
 
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#36
#36
Backwards K said:
This thread makes me wonder if some of y'all even watched this team play last year. They defended well but there were a lot of holes in their game. This is a top 10 team if:
--Tobe and/or Aidoo can develop even a semblance of being able to score against quality teams
--Knect is truly athletic enough to compete in SEC and he can taks some pressure off Vescovi with 3 pt shooting
--If there is a player who can beat their man off the dribble and finish at the rim
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Lol they were a top 10 team last year with all of those issues already.

All college basketball teams have holes. We have questions, but far more answers than just about anybody in college basketball.
 
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#38
#38
We are a lot higher than I expected. I haven't been keeping up with the team but I thought we lost a lot from last year. Did we bring in some major players?
 
#39
#39
cncchris33 said:
Tennessee was a top-10 team more than half of the year, last year, though, even with those offensive deficiencies. You talk like they were hot garbage.

They lost Phillips, Nkamhoua, Key, Plavsic, and Edwards, none of which were the missing offensive key. They added Dilione, Knecht, Gainey, Estrella, Carr, Jefferson, and Phillips. On paper, that's an upgrade.

We have three 5th-year seniors, all of whom may start, and four juniors who will all play.

Sure, there are some questions, but the same can be said for every team out there. Every roster has seen some level of turnover. We are ranked by the media and coaches as a top-10 team. So while your concerns are noted, maybe it's time to accept the idea that maybe this team is a little better than you'd like to believe and not necessarily defined by last year's deficiencies. Turning over half your roster provides some currently unanswered questions, but also some potential solutions.

To me, the biggest key is one you didn't even mention, and that is Zakai's health and availability.
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Even with the disappointments such as losing to Florida Atlantic, in the scheme of things, last year was a successful year and should be looked at it that way. It would have been nice to go a little further in both the NCAA and SEC Tournaments in March but the 2022-2023 team was a successful team.
 
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#40
#40
Vols410 said:
Lol they were a top 10 team last year with all of those issues already.

All college basketball teams have holes. We have questions, but far more answers than just about anybody in college basketball.
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Vols ended last seaon 25-11, 11-7. They were tied for 4th in the SEC and ranked 20th at the end of the regular season and 16th after the tournament. That's about where they should be ranked going into this year, somewhere between 16th and 20th.
 
#41
#41
Backwards K said:
Vols ended last seaon 25-11, 11-7. They were tied for 4th in the SEC and ranked 20th at the end of the regular season and 16th after the tournament. That's about where they should be ranked going into this year, somewhere between 16th and 20th.
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AP poll != team strength, and keeping your core nearly completely intact (and adding) when other teams lose players to graduation and the draft doesn’t merit simply staying the same.
 
#42
#42
Backwards K said:
Vols ended last seaon 25-11, 11-7. They were tied for 4th in the SEC and ranked 20th at the end of the regular season and 16th after the tournament. That's about where they should be ranked going into this year, somewhere between 16th and 20th.
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Well, just about every single statistical metric out there and analyst disagrees with your assessment, but sure we should rank them between 16-20 because of last year's results.
 
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#43
#43
Chris4Vols22 said:
We would have the best offense in the country every season if it worked like that.
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That wasn't my point. My point is, as well as we defend even in practice, those said guys are scoring so it should translate to the games. I understand how basketball works I played it lol
 
#46
#46
Backwards K said:
Vols ended last seaon 25-11, 11-7. They were tied for 4th in the SEC and ranked 20th at the end of the regular season and 16th after the tournament. That's about where they should be ranked going into this year, somewhere between 16th and 20th.
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Why though? You've provided no reasoning except last year's results and neglected to acknowledge that we were a top-10 team for over half the season. We turned over half of our roster and addressed many of the areas you are concerned about.
 
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#47
#47
Backwards K said:
Vols ended last seaon 25-11, 11-7. They were tied for 4th in the SEC and ranked 20th at the end of the regular season and 16th after the tournament. That's about where they should be ranked going into this year, somewhere between 16th and 20th.
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That’s not how that works. What did other teams do? We upgraded.

If only last year’s result was relevant to this year.
 
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#48
#48
Backwards K said:
Vols ended last seaon 25-11, 11-7. They were tied for 4th in the SEC and ranked 20th at the end of the regular season and 16th after the tournament. That's about where they should be ranked going into this year, somewhere between 16th and 20th.
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End of the year we were ranked as though we didn’t have Zeigler
 
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#49
#49
Backwards K said:
Vols ended last seaon 25-11, 11-7. They were tied for 4th in the SEC and ranked 20th at the end of the regular season and 16th after the tournament. That's about where they should be ranked going into this year, somewhere between 16th and 20th.
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Dude we freaking beat Duke and were one of the 16 teams left without our starting pg. We had guys playing out of position to cover for that loss. We added offensive weapons, who are TBD, but look promising in Knecht and Gainey. Then we add a RS freshman top 50 player whom practiced with the team for half a season who can drive the ball to the basket. We lost two bigs, who one thought was a guard and was highly inconsistent, and the other made boneheaded decision that would cost the team. Two guys who's minutes would have been better off going to Tobe and Aidoo who will be a huge upgrade.

I get being weary of preseason hype, but I believe ours is warranted. Either way though these rankings are pretty much useless. I think we have the best team we've had since Grant and Admiral, but we'll soon find out!
 
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#50
#50
VoltillweFall said:
Biggest Question is in the post . If Tobe and Jonas can really Be dominant and we are not as outside dependent it will free up some lanes and shooting! Estrella and Cade give us 5-7 mins of strong play we will make sweet 16 at least. Defensively we know we will be top 15
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I don't think they have to be dominant but they do both need to take the next step and be solid consistent post players and giving us a little more offense down there.
 
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