I want to say something...

[zjcvols]

Of course everyone wants to win. That's obvious.

However, I love watching this team play, despite the Win/Loss record. They give 100% every game. They are really good kids it seems, and I love what Coach Martin is bringing to the program. It's fun watching this team improved from just a month ago. I just watched a game, and I seriously am so pumped for Kentucky that all I want to do is talk basketball for the next hour. After last year, which was such a rough year for UT basketball in general, it's really nice to be able to just have fun watching UT basketball again.

 

[architecturevol]

totally agree.

 

[TennesseeFan07]

The worst thing for this team may have been Saturday's win over Florida. It has created unreasonable expectations for a lot of the fanbase for SEC play.

 

[OrangeBalls]

Yeah, it's nice to actually talk about hoops instead of the Bruce Pearl timeline, who will be our next coach or what the NCAA is going to do.

If we can somehow win some more games that no one thought we would (like the Fla game), this will be a positive year in my opinion. I'd love to see Stokes take the floor Sat.

 

[TooLegit2Quit]

The worst thing for this team may have been Saturday's win over Florida. It has created unreasonable expectations for a lot of the fanbase for SEC play.

This, the upcoming slate is brutal as well. Fire Martin/Stokes is a bust threads are imminent.

Such is life as a Tennessee fan though.

As long as we keep competing how we have in these last two games I'm happy.

 

[DC_Vol]

Of course everyone wants to win. That's obvious.

However, I love watching this team play, despite the Win/Loss record. They give 100% every game. They are really good kids it seems, and I love what Coach Martin is bringing to the program. It's fun watching this team improved from just a month ago. I just watched a game, and I seriously am so pumped for Kentucky that all I want to do is talk basketball for the next hour. After last year, which was such a rough year for UT basketball in general, it's really nice to be able to just have fun watching UT basketball again.

No knock on Pearl and the teams he coached...

This team doesn't have the flash of Pearl's teams, but they look like a much more disciplined squad. The fundamentals get better with each game. They are slowly working out the kinks.

I really think CCM is going to be a gem. Will be interesting to see what dynamic Stokes add to the mix.

 

[cncchris33]

Most impressive to me, is how much better this team has gotten defensively. The numbers may or may not pan it out, but by appearances, they seem to understand help defense, staying in front of their man, and retreating back to their man off of help defense so much better than they did a month ago. The competition is getting much better, so it may not play out to better numbers (though I think it will), but you can see the fundamental aspects becoming more cohesive. I was really rough on this team early on about their defense, and they have improved it greatly.

This new starting lineup also seems to have done wonders for this team. I had been calling for a benching of Hall and McRae or Tatum to split their minutes up for a long time. The difference is night and day. Kenny Hall has played like a man possessed lately and looks more like the kid I remember seeing as a freshman. The lineup change has really worked well for him.

 

[jlindsa4]

Now lets get kentucky

 

[jlindsa4]

oh and we win with stokes

 

[BruinVol]

Many of us here agree with what you say about this team being fun to watch but the casual fan won't agree IMO. Most of us are really impressed with the progress of the team aspects of defense,effort, and even the way the offense seems to be evolving. The casual fan doesn't watch as many of the games and certainly not as closely to appreciate all those improvements. The only two things they will see are wins/loses and style of play(tempo) and those two things aren't going to scream excitement. Sadly its the casual fan that the program needs to fill up TBA IMO
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[YankeeVol]

I concur.

 

[Shaun1985]

If anybody called for Martins head or didn't enjoy watching this season, they need their Vol Fan card revoked!

This is exactly what we've been wanting. The win / loss record sucks but the team doesn't give up and plays tough basketball. Half court game is nice and the defense continues to improve. We will be okay for the future. Martin is the real deal.

 

[OrangeInKy]

Absolutely! I am fired up about UT bball. We have a good staff that represents the school in a great way and is well thought of nationally. They are good enough to get a top 15 recruit to come to a losing team with little national exposure without promising anything. We have a team that is improving and playing hard and doing well off the court. I love this team, and the future is bright. Those of us that were fans pre-2005 are still here.
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[Volnerd]

Of course everyone wants to win. That's obvious.

However, I love watching this team play, despite the Win/Loss record. They give 100% every game. They are really good kids it seems, and I love what Coach Martin is bringing to the program. It's fun watching this team improved from just a month ago. I just watched a game, and I seriously am so pumped for Kentucky that all I want to do is talk basketball for the next hour. After last year, which was such a rough year for UT basketball in general, it's really nice to be able to just have fun watching UT basketball again.

If you know anything about basketball, it is easy to see that this team is well coached. They could use a talent upgrade in a few areas, but they are exceeding my expectations coming into this year.

 

[LibertyVol]

They look so much better. The defense is a lot better and so is the offense. The guys are getting comfortable in their roles. If everyone get to playing well at the same time these guys might get dangerous. A good game from Tatum last night and they win.

I think they will have trouble with Kentucky's length Saturday. But if Kentucky plays like they did against Auburn Tennessee will be a winner.

It looks like I was wrong about Martin and I could not be happier about it.

 

[cncchris33]

They look so much better. The defense is a lot better and so is the offense. The guys are getting comfortable in their roles. If everyone get to playing well at the same time these guys might get dangerous. A good game from Tatum last night and they win.

I think they will have trouble with Kentucky's length Saturday. But if Kentucky plays like they did against Auburn Tennessee will be a winner.

It looks like I was wrong about Martin and I could not be happier about it.

I don't recall your specific stance on Martin early on, but I think some criticism was well-deserved. He had refused to change anything from defensive schemes to lineups. He finally, after 14 games, decides to change the lineup and we have looked like a different team, and at least one of the players who lost his starting job has responded with possibly his two best games of the season.

 

[calban]

The worst thing for this team may have been Saturday's win over Florida. It has created unreasonable expectations for a lot of the fanbase for SEC play.

I thought the same thing until the game last night.
We've shown that we can play with any one in the SEC on the road, not sure about KY, with the players we have.
We actually beat MS on the boards, we just didn't make our put backs.
Stokes' dexterity under the glass could change that going forward.
A little luck, execute the plays we missed on last night and who knows.
20 wins in regular season? Probably not.
17 and 2 in the SEC tourney, we could be a bubble team.

 

[cncchris33]

I thought the same thing until the game last night.
We've shown that we can play with any one in the SEC on the road, not sure about KY, with the players we have.
We actually beat MS on the boards, we just didn't make our put backs.
Stokes' dexterity under the glass could change that going forward.
A little luck, execute the plays we missed on last night and who knows.
20 wins in regular season? Probably not.
17 and 2 in the SEC tourney, we could be a bubble team.

17 wins would mean we need to win 9 of or remaining 15 games. That's pushing it imo. That would mean finishing either 11-5 in conference play and a loss to UCONN or 10-6 with a win over UCONN. Tough road to travel for this team I'm afraid, but with continued improvement, a steady contribution from Stokes, and perhaps a down SEC, who knows?

 

[zjcvols]

17 wins would mean we need to win 9 of or remaining 15 games. That's pushing it imo. That would mean finishing either 11-5 in conference play and a loss to UCONN or 10-6 with a win over UCONN. Tough road to travel for this team I'm afraid, but with continued improvement, a steady contribution from Stokes, and perhaps a down SEC, who knows?

That UConn game isn't as much as an automatic loss as it was a month ago. Not saying it's going to happen, but I'm just sayin

 

[calban]

17 wins would mean we need to win 9 of or remaining 15 games. That's pushing it imo. That would mean finishing either 11-5 in conference play and a loss to UCONN or 10-6 with a win over UCONN. Tough road to travel for this team I'm afraid, but with continued improvement, a steady contribution from Stokes, and perhaps a down SEC, who knows?

It is a stretch.
Like I said, a little luck, improved execution in the clutch and improved play on the offensive glass.
Hell. I'd still be satisfied with a good NIT run, but the other would be pure eeeelation.

 

[cncchris33]

If anything, this team has proven they can beat the best teams in its schedule, and at the same time, lose to the worst teams.

It is a crap shoot. Finishing above .500 would surprise me more than finishing below .500, but who knows. Stokes transition and impact could tilt the scales in the positive direction.

 

[Gary10ec1]

Happy with the effort last night. Team seems to be slowly learning how to win and can play a whole game. Definite improvement and finding an identity. Great job CCM!

 

[emkyle]

No knock on Pearl and the teams he coached...

This team doesn't have the flash of Pearl's teams, but they look like a much more disciplined squad. The fundamentals get better with each game. They are slowly working out the kinks.

I really think CCM is going to be a gem. Will be interesting to see what dynamic Stokes add to the mix.

Agreed. This team seems to have taken on a whole new character and work ethic. Miles away from the gun and weed culture of Tyler Smith and co. Refreshing change.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

if nothing else is taken from this season so far it has to give you hope and feel good about the future. ccm has clearly shown that he will get players to play how he wants them to, and if you dont then you will be benched. i think his coaching has been very impressing, and i love the fact that he preaches fundamental basketball. it may not be the flashiest basketball or even what we are used to but wins will take care of the flashiness itself. i didnt know what to really expect from ccm when the hire was announced but i promised i would wait for judgment, and not jump to a conclusion. i feel like we are in very good hands for the future, and there are only better things ahead.

 

[Hardwood_fanatic]

if nothing else is taken from this season so far it has to give you hope and feel good about the future. ccm has clearly shown that he will get players to play how he wants them to, and if you dont then you will be benched. i think his coaching has been very impressing, and i love the fact that he preaches fundamental basketball. it may not be the flashiest basketball or even what we are used to but wins will take care of the flashiness itself. i didnt know what to really expect from ccm when the hire was announced but i promised i would wait for judgment, and not jump to a conclusion. i feel like we are in very good hands for the future, and there are only better things ahead.

Struggling a bit this year, but Bo Ryan and Wisconsin have made the top 15 a permanent residence the past several years by playing D and scoring under 60 ppg.

Izzo and Michigan State come to mind as well. Martin just has to get those 3 or 4 key components over the next 2 classes, and UT is a tough out anywhere, not just at TBA. Rowdy away crowds doesn't affect a team that devotes itself to defense and fundamentals.