NCAA Tournament expectations for our team is still sky high

#27
#27
Z's injury just put me in the gutter as a fan as much as his injury really butcher's this teams goals I now hope for this teams fortitude to show out in the rest of our games. This injury just hit home like Hooker's did. God bless these players and god bless this fanbase for not fading on our fandom! This will always be our team regardless of hard times! The only thing can be said truthfully is GO ******* VOLS!
 
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#28
#28
Playing BJE for a couple of garbage mimutes tonight wouldn’t accomplish anything. What he does in practice will. If he’s able to contribute in a big way, keeping him out of the game tonight throws a curveball at Barn as they prepare for Saturday. Message sent tonight is that BJE won’t be in the mix. So Barn might overlook him completely as they prepare for TN. Not planning for BJE gives him a little bit of an advantage.
 
#29
#29
GBOplayer said:
Even though we seem to have faded since reaching the number 2 ranking and possible No. 1 seeding, expectations for our team in the NCAA tournament are still as high as they were early on. Even though we have dropped out of the top 10 and are looking at a 3 seed, alot of computer models are still predicting we get to the Final Four....Computers have liked us all season, and it looks like we are getting healthy at the right time. I am still optimistic!
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Hard for this team to go forward. They lack consistency!! Maybe next year as always!
 
#30
#30
GBOplayer said:
Even though we seem to have faded since reaching the number 2 ranking and possible No. 1 seeding, expectations for our team in the NCAA tournament are still as high as they were early on. Even though we have dropped out of the top 10 and are looking at a 3 seed, alot of computer models are still predicting we get to the Final Four....Computers have liked us all season, and it looks like we are getting healthy at the right time. I am still optimistic!
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You jinxed us!

j/k
 
#31
#31
GBOplayer said:
Even though we seem to have faded since reaching the number 2 ranking and possible No. 1 seeding, expectations for our team in the NCAA tournament are still as high as they were early on. Even though we have dropped out of the top 10 and are looking at a 3 seed, alot of computer models are still predicting we get to the Final Four....Computers have liked us all season, and it looks like we are getting healthy at the right time. I am still optimistic!
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2 seed is where we will land after SEC tournament
 
#32
#32
First off no matter what match ups of teams and venues make huge differences in the tournament. You can be a better team and be in an environment where 3/4 of the building are rooting against you because of location or just the fact you are the higher seed.

As for our specific situation. We all are expecting Zaki to be out and we having to retool our lineups. Here is the silver lining of a horrible situation. It happened early in the game so there is evidence we can function at a fairly high level without him. Now we need to do that against Auburn and our match-up in the SEC tournament. Previously some wanted to be eliminated early to get a couple players rest but in this scenario we need to prove to the committee we are business as usual and next man up is capable. I say that because we are better off than Cincinnati the year they should have been a #1 seed but they penalized them because Kenyon Martin got injured and couldn't play in NCAA tournament. The committee acknowledged they didn't get a chance to see how the team would function without him and clearly they weren't going to be as good so even though their overall resume was worthy of #1 they got dropped. For us we need to prove we deserve to stay in that 2-3 seed line. If we falter against Auburn or look sloppy in SECT I don't want our seed line to drop based off committees hypothetical guess of who we are going forward.
 
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#34
#34
DowntownVol said:
I am pretty pro-Barnes overall, but I gotta say, not at least giving Edwards a few minutes tonight to run the point once the game was well in hand when you know you're going to need him now whether you like it or not is a headscratcher for me.
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Sorry, but this seems kinda silly.

What specifically makes you think you know better than the guy who watches him compete every day?

Barnes clearly thought BJ did not give us the best chance of winning.... but somehow you know better?

Based on what? His 247 page? Was it the 2 points he put up against SC? Something else?
 
#36
#36
GBOplayer said:
Even though we seem to have faded since reaching the number 2 ranking and possible No. 1 seeding, expectations for our team in the NCAA tournament are still as high as they were early on. Even though we have dropped out of the top 10 and are looking at a 3 seed, alot of computer models are still predicting we get to the Final Four....Computers have liked us all season, and it looks like we are getting healthy at the right time. I am still optimistic!
Click to expand...
 
#37
#37
It all depends on the draw IMO.

This team could grind its way into a Final Four or get knocked out first round by a mid major if they get a team with hot shooting guards.

Losing Zeigler hurts. Guard play is usually magnified in the tourney.
 
#38
#38
JoeMiltonsAgent said:
It all depends on the draw IMO.

This team could grind its way into a Final Four or get knocked out first round by a mid major if they get a team with hot shooting guards.

Losing Zeigler hurts. Guard play is usually magnified in the tourney.
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It will help TN get out of the first week if the refs let the ticky tack fouls go like they always do in the 2nd half of the NCAAT rounds. Cinderellas need the help of the refs in the opening rounds to pull off the big upsets.
 
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#41
#41
I think this team can rally and go as far as they would have with Z. Last night was encouraging. This team will lose when they have a poor shooting night not because Z is out. Don’t get me wrong, I’d like our chances better with him. Couple weeks ago I thought winning two would be the ceiling. They can still do that, it’s all about matchups.
 
#42
#42
Thunder Good-Oil said:
It will help TN get out of the first week if the refs let the ticky tack fouls go like they always do in the 2nd half of the NCAAT rounds. Cinderellas’ need the help of the refs in the opening rounds to pull off the big upsets.
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True.

The refs are a big reason I am just not into basketball as I used to be. Not just the Vols in particular, but the sport in general. Last 5 min of a game can take 20 to 30 min anymore.

Vols need to play smart on defense and not maginify things for the zebras. Looking at Uros in particular.
 
#43
#43
Come tournament time it’s all about playing with confidence and playing well together as a team on offense and defense. Even without ZZ, this team still has enough depth and talent to go far into the tournament. There are no guarantees for any team, college basketball parity is at a all time high. There is no team out there that can’t be beaten, and while there are 2-3 teams that may have slightly better odds there are another 10-12 out there that have a legit shot if things went there way. Tennessee is in this broad group. Mashack’s improved play gives me hope as well as James and Phillips returning. Awaka is also making strides. Everyone else just has to play there best and keep working to get better.
 
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