Next Opponent - Mercer Bears

[SeniorDrill]

Before some of you put us in the Sweet 16, Mercer is standing in the way. They won the Atlantic Sun regular season last year but FGCU won the tourney and proceeded to go to the Sweet 16 as a 15 seed. Mercer starts five seniors and beat us in Knoxville 75-67 last year in the first round of the NIT with the same team. If you saw the way they dismantled Duke despite Duke hitting 15 3's we should be very wary. ETSU, my alma mater, is playing in the second round of the CIT tournament tonight, the same tournament Cuonzo won at Missouri State in 2010. The Atlantic Sun plays top notch basketball!

 

[DocVOLiday]

Did you remake this thread?

 

[Shaun1985]

Not down playing Mercer at all but Tennessee should win that game by 15 plus. Duke lives and dies by the 3 and is extremely soft in the middle. Duke also didn't play defense very well. Mercer looked like they moved the ball and cut well but I just think our defense is far too good for them.

Either way, I hope Tennessee plays like Mercer are 10 point favorites and doesn't expect to win.

 

[OrangeNehi]

Before some of you put us in the Sweet 16, Mercer is standing in the way. They won the Atlantic Sun regular season last year but FGCU won the tourney and proceeded to go to the Sweet 16 as a 15 seed. Mercer starts five seniors and beat us in Knoxville 75-67 last year in the first round of the NIT with the same team. If you saw the way they dismantled Duke despite Duke hitting 15 3's we should be very wary. ETSU, my alma mater, is playing in the second round of the CIT tournament tonight, the same tournament Cuonzo won at Missouri State in 2010. The Atlantic Sun plays top notch basketball!

Good post. If there's anything you can say about college basketball, it's that it has incredible parity and a wealth of good players. Beware of the Bears indeed.:rock:

 

[fade route]

If they beat Duke, they can beat us.

 

[k-town_king]

We definitely can't afford to overlook them. They can play. They have a senior lineup.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I saw a lot of Atlantic Sun opponents this year here at ETSU... I wouldn't define it as top-notch by any means but there are some decent teams. No reason for UT not to win though. I think they are the better team by far.

Mercer can't handle Stokes and Maymon.

 

[golfballs]

Get some rest, Vols.

 

[DocVOLiday]

If they beat Duke, they can beat us.

Of course they can. But if we play like we have been, I don't think they will

 

[SDV]

what time is game

 

[Blake25p]

what time is game

According to the tournament challenge app. 11am

 

[SDV]

According to the tournament challenge app. 11am

Guess I'll be too sick to make it to church

 

[Catbone]

If they beat Duke, they can beat us.

Exactly

 

[armchair]

Make 15 threes and lose? That is rare.

Mercer starts five seniors? That is rare.

UT pounding it down low on Mercer? Not rare.

 

[Cdywolfe]

According to the tournament challenge app. 11am

They just showed the bracket on CBS and had a time for the Michigan Texas game tomorrow but not one for our game Sunday. I also just checked on ESPN and it says the time is TBD.

You very well may be right but I work tomorrow night so I'm really hoping that it's later than 11.

 

[TrueOrange]

According to the tournament challenge app. 11am

Are you in central time? The earliest start time tomorrow is 12:15 EST...I can't see them starting a game earlier on a Sunday than they did on a Saturday.

 

[ReBellVol]

I work at FGCU (yes, last year was awesome) and have seen Mercer play multiple times, including beating us in the ASun tournament championship game. They are a well-rounded team, but I think the TN bigs will give them problems. If Stokes and Maymon play the way they did today, TN wins the game with no problem, but Mercer is a pesky team......don't overlook them.

 

[Shaun1985]

I work at FGCU (yes, last year was awesome) and have seen Mercer play multiple times, including beating us in the ASun tournament championship game. They are a well-rounded team, but I think the TN bigs will give them problems. If Stokes and Maymon play the way they did today, TN wins the game with no problem, but Mercer is a pesky team......don't overlook them.

Exactly how I see it. We should win easily as long as we play. Stokes and Maymon is too much for this team to handle. Michigan will be the first game we've played in this tournament were we will be underdogs. Imagine that...

 

[Orange Daddy]

Don't forget that Mercer spanked TN last year in the NIT at the TBA

 

[Blake25p]

Are you in central time? The earliest start time tomorrow is 12:15 EST...I can't see them starting a game earlier on a Sunday than they did on a Saturday.

Yea I'm central should've mentioned that, it's prolly 12:15Est, 11:15Cent.

 

[Shaun1985]

They better not be none of this after Sunday lol

 

[golfballs]

The time hasn't been announced yet. I think that 11:30 time someone mentioned was just a place-holder

 

[DoubleA]

if they beat duke, they can beat us.

this!!

 

[armchair]

We're playing strong inside--but we'll have to shoot the three better if we want to keep playing. Somebody will make life difficult for our bigs and we'll have to knock down treys with more consistency than they we have so far.

 

[SeniorDrill]

There will be no taking them for granted after they beat us at home last year!