bleedingTNorange
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1. I wasn’t sure how we’d come out after the Kentucky game, definitely could have saw a slow start but it was quite the opposite. The offense showed great again and what they are capable of when guys play with confidence and aggression. I mentioned not wanting to assume anything coming off Kentucky 100+ point showing and wanted to see how they responded offensively this week, so far so good.
2. Even though it wasn’t Knecht’s most efficient game, or highest scoring game, I felt like a solid argument could be made that it was his best all around game. 27pts 7rbd 6ast coming from your 6’6” wing is a stat line that NBA scouts will like to see, obviously the scoring is there but continuing to learn and adjust to the defensive attention he’s getting and how he can use that to set up his teammates continues to improve. Guys aren’t going to hit every shot, but players are currently taking “practice quality” shots and that’s in large part to how much attention Dalton is drawing, those guys need to stay confident and continue to do that.
3. One guy who’s come on of late, right as many wrote him off, is Jordan Gainey…his last 5 games he’s coming off the bench giving you 10ppg on 43% shooting from 3 and 100% from the FT line. He’s also been playing exceptional defense of late and seems to be adjusting well to the speed/length of the game at this level. Having him playing at this level as an option off the bench or to relieve Santi has been great to have of late, need his confidence to stay high because it’s quite clear he can contribute in a meaningful way.
4. Zakai Zeigler after his rough 2 game stretch has come out playing his best basketball of the year and looking like the best version of himself we have seen. I think what Rick said is very true and you’re seeing it, he’s gotta be the vocal leader of this team, the QB, or straw that stirs the drink if you will. It really feels like guys feed off him on both ends and that when he’s locked in and playing well other guys follow that lead, and if they aren’t he can quickly get them checked in. This isn’t a hot take by any means but it really feels like he’s the one guy that has to bring it each and every single day, because it then leads to others bringing it. His play the last 2 games has been elite and he’s found himself on national lists for both PG of they year and defensive player of the year, something you don’t see much from PG.
5. Gotta throw in some negative just to even things out a bit…idk what Santi was doing but if I saw him pass up another look or pump fake a 3 I was going to lose my mind. He’s likely the best set shooter on the team, he should be taking every single one of those he gets, James is doing a better job at it, Gainey is doing it, Zeigler, Vescovi has to as well, those are too good of looks. I’m not going to go back and track but it felt like he passed up 7-8 “good looks” from 3 and that probably 5-6 of those ended up in empty possessions, take the damn shot Santi.
6. I didn’t hate trying to get Carr some minutes with a lead, but if you’re going to play him don’t handcuff him by pulling Zeigler at the same time and making him play with Gainey at PG. Those were bad lineups and as a result Carr had a horrible -9 in less than 3 minutes of play. Ultimately I don’t think he’s going to be needed in March, I think we have our 8 barring injury, but if you’re dead set on force feeding him some meaningful minutes then at least let him play with Zeigler and other starters around him.
7. Big picture that was a win we had to have, a home game against an inferior opponent, in the final 10 games of the year you only have about 2-3 of of those opportunists, had to have that one. We talked about 7-2 being the goal through the first 9 games of league play and that’s the exact mark they hit, now we turn to the back half of league play and those final 9 games. As I’ve mentioned these next 5 are all very winnable and then you’ve got a brutal 4 game stretch to close that will likely decide the SEC title. The toughest of this 5 game stretch comes up on Saturday when we go to College Station to play A&M, it’s a game we should win and will be favored in, but it won’t be easy by any stretch of the imagination and will take a very good effort. You win that one on Saturday and Tennessee is sitting in as good of a spot as you could have realistically hoped for entering the final 4 weeks of the season.
GBO!!!
2. Even though it wasn’t Knecht’s most efficient game, or highest scoring game, I felt like a solid argument could be made that it was his best all around game. 27pts 7rbd 6ast coming from your 6’6” wing is a stat line that NBA scouts will like to see, obviously the scoring is there but continuing to learn and adjust to the defensive attention he’s getting and how he can use that to set up his teammates continues to improve. Guys aren’t going to hit every shot, but players are currently taking “practice quality” shots and that’s in large part to how much attention Dalton is drawing, those guys need to stay confident and continue to do that.
3. One guy who’s come on of late, right as many wrote him off, is Jordan Gainey…his last 5 games he’s coming off the bench giving you 10ppg on 43% shooting from 3 and 100% from the FT line. He’s also been playing exceptional defense of late and seems to be adjusting well to the speed/length of the game at this level. Having him playing at this level as an option off the bench or to relieve Santi has been great to have of late, need his confidence to stay high because it’s quite clear he can contribute in a meaningful way.
4. Zakai Zeigler after his rough 2 game stretch has come out playing his best basketball of the year and looking like the best version of himself we have seen. I think what Rick said is very true and you’re seeing it, he’s gotta be the vocal leader of this team, the QB, or straw that stirs the drink if you will. It really feels like guys feed off him on both ends and that when he’s locked in and playing well other guys follow that lead, and if they aren’t he can quickly get them checked in. This isn’t a hot take by any means but it really feels like he’s the one guy that has to bring it each and every single day, because it then leads to others bringing it. His play the last 2 games has been elite and he’s found himself on national lists for both PG of they year and defensive player of the year, something you don’t see much from PG.
5. Gotta throw in some negative just to even things out a bit…idk what Santi was doing but if I saw him pass up another look or pump fake a 3 I was going to lose my mind. He’s likely the best set shooter on the team, he should be taking every single one of those he gets, James is doing a better job at it, Gainey is doing it, Zeigler, Vescovi has to as well, those are too good of looks. I’m not going to go back and track but it felt like he passed up 7-8 “good looks” from 3 and that probably 5-6 of those ended up in empty possessions, take the damn shot Santi.
6. I didn’t hate trying to get Carr some minutes with a lead, but if you’re going to play him don’t handcuff him by pulling Zeigler at the same time and making him play with Gainey at PG. Those were bad lineups and as a result Carr had a horrible -9 in less than 3 minutes of play. Ultimately I don’t think he’s going to be needed in March, I think we have our 8 barring injury, but if you’re dead set on force feeding him some meaningful minutes then at least let him play with Zeigler and other starters around him.
7. Big picture that was a win we had to have, a home game against an inferior opponent, in the final 10 games of the year you only have about 2-3 of of those opportunists, had to have that one. We talked about 7-2 being the goal through the first 9 games of league play and that’s the exact mark they hit, now we turn to the back half of league play and those final 9 games. As I’ve mentioned these next 5 are all very winnable and then you’ve got a brutal 4 game stretch to close that will likely decide the SEC title. The toughest of this 5 game stretch comes up on Saturday when we go to College Station to play A&M, it’s a game we should win and will be favored in, but it won’t be easy by any stretch of the imagination and will take a very good effort. You win that one on Saturday and Tennessee is sitting in as good of a spot as you could have realistically hoped for entering the final 4 weeks of the season.
GBO!!!
