SEC Tournament

[govols]

We have the potential to go all the way. It just depends on how hard we play.

 

[vols kick balls]

i say we win the first round and then lose in the second. we do have the potential to go all the way but i think the guys are starting to lose some steam. i hope i am wrong tho.

 

[VolunteerHillbilly]

If we can beat our opponents on the scoreboard we are sure to win.

 

[MemphisVol]

All the teams in the tournament have a lot of heart, but if we go out there and remember the basics, play our game, and don't make too many silly mistakes, I'm sure, win or lose, our kids will make Tennessee proud.

 

[golf437]

The vols will play with a lot of heart. Win or lose this has been a great season.

 

[GAVol]

If we can beat our opponents on the scoreboard we are sure to win.

I agree. Our record when we outscore our opponents is very good.

 

[rockydoc]

Since the SEC reinstituted the postseason tourney (while Don Devoe was coach), how many times has UT won it and when was the last time?

 

[GAVol]

I know we won the first one after the tournament came back but I don't think we've won one since.

Don't ask me what year it was though. I was just barely old enough to know what was happening. 1979 or 1980 maybe? I know it wasn't after that because I still lived in Tennessee when it happened and I moved to GA in 1981.

 

[General Jack]

I think it was '79, and I wasn't old enough to remember. We haven't had a successful tounry since then, except for reaching the NIT semifinals in '85(?) and the sweet 16 in '00.

This team has potential to make a run, so much heart... If we shoot the ball well and continue to force turnovers we'll go far.

 

[mattvols]

i say we win the first round and then lose in the second. we do have the potential to go all the way but i think the guys are starting to lose some steam. i hope i am wrong tho.

we have a 1st round bye. I see us winning 2nd round, losing 3rd due to being tired from round two.

 

[Vol67]

Win 1 game, lose 2nd game to Bama.

 

[#10_Ainge_#10]

If we play well no reason we couldn't win the tourney

 

[hvwarrior58]

What does the bracket look like? I think we may have trouble in the 2nd if we end up having to play Florida(if they are the east 3 of course). If we have to play UK, I think we get revenge on them, but I don't know if we can beat UF 3 times in one year. I don't know what to say if we have to play Arky or Bama in the 3rd round because we want revenge, Bama isn't near the team they are when not at home, and we just broke down against Arky.

 

[hvwarrior58]

Here is the seeding:

East
1. UT
2. UF/UK
3. UF/UK
4. VU
5. USC/UGA
6. USC/UGA

West
1. LSU
2. UAT
3. Arky
4. MSU
5. AU
6. UM

The winner of the UF/UK game gets the East 2 while the loser gets the East 3. If UGA beats Arky today, UGA gets the East 5. If UGA loses to Arky, USC gets the East 5. The West has already been settled.

 

[hvwarrior58]

Games 1-4 are on Thursday, March 9:
Game 1(Noon)- MSU vs USC/UGA
Game 2(2:15)- UF/UK vs UM
Game 3(6:30)- VU vs AU
Game 4(8:45)- Arky vs USC/UGA

Games 5-8 are on Friday, March 10:
Game 5(Noon)- UT vs Winner of Game 1
Game 6(2:15)- UAT vs Winner of Game 2
Game 7(6:30)- LSU vs Winner of Game 3
Game 8(8:45)- UF/UK vs Winner of Game 4

Games 9-10 are on Saturday, March 11:
Game 9(Noon)- Winner of Game 5 vs Winner of Game 6
Game 10(2:15)- Winner of Game 7 vs Winner of Game 8

Game 11 is on Sunday, March 12:
Game 11(Noon)- Winner of Game 9 vs Winner of Game 10

 

[cotton]

Tournament bracket link can be found here:
http://secsports.com/index.php?s=&url_chan...hange_well_id=2

Since the torney was reinstated in '79, we have won it only once, in that first year. We made the finals at least one other time, I believe in '91.

It sure would be nice to see a good tourney run. The memories of SC and MSU upsets early in the tournament in recent years still give me nightmares, but not enough to keep me away. I have attended every tournamet since 1994, plus the '84, '89, and '91 tournaments before that. Strange things happen, but it would be a nice birthday present for me if the strangeness this year involved Bruce Pearl cutting down some nets.

 

[hvwarrior58]

With UF stomping UK today, UF gets the East 2 and UK gets the East 3. IMO, we are in the much easier bracket. We have us, UAT, UK, MSU, USC/UGA, and UM. The other bracket has LSU, UF, Arky, VU, AU, and USC/UGA. I wouldn't mind us getting a little revenge on UK or UAT and definitely wouldn't mind another shot at LSU.

 

[utvolpj]

We win the whole darn thing. I expect nothing less from this amazing group. However, they still couldn't disappoint me w/ a 1 and done. Because, unlike previous years, there's still another game!

 

[jakez4ut]

the bye certainly helps...they need the rest. for me i'd like to see some upsets in the 1st rd....would love to play the two MS schools again....and get to the champ game.

 

[kiddiedoc]

Don't forget that the other teams have to play on censecutive days, too. Our pressure might REALLY be trouble for the opposition on zero days' rest. Plus, a bye means that we will be one game less tired than those who have to play on Thursday.

We've shown that we CAN beat anybody, it just depends on turnovers and how well we shoot the ball.

 

[hatvol96]

Since the SEC reinstituted the postseason tourney (while Don Devoe was coach), how many times has UT won it and when was the last time?

1979. The first tourney back. We beat Kentucky for the third time to win it. Haven't won it since. Only been to the final once.

 

[pedigovolfan]

Here's the way I see it unfolding...

We beat SC by 25 on the strength of an Andre Patterson double double and a 15 for 15 free throw performance for Lofton.

We beat Kentucky because they are tired after pulling out the Alabama win by 2 in double OT

We beat LSU by driving the hole and getting big baby 3 fouls early in the first half.

Then John Brady wins Coach of the Year because LSU should have won and it just wouldn't be right to take it away from him because of 1 game :gun:

 

[TrueVol]

You're a little more optimistic than me. I see us edging out either SC or Georgia by 2 to 3 points tops. I think we're just a tired squad right now and teams will take advantage of that by running the pick and roll to wear us out with switches (a la Kentucky).

Then Alabama or Kentucky will use their size to wear us down and knock us out. We've got no front court depth and once Major gets his 3 fouls in the first 15 minutes, it will be over. The snowball of fouls on the inside will begin.

I think Patterson's great, but there's no way we can ride him on the inside to multiple wins.

 

[cotton]

Don't forget that the other teams have to play on censecutive days, too. Our pressure might REALLY be trouble for the opposition on zero days' rest. Plus, a bye means that we will be one game less tired than those who have to play on Thursday.

We've shown that we CAN beat anybody, it just depends on turnovers and how well we shoot the ball.

The bye is huge. Only one team, Arkansas in 2001?, has won the tourney after NOT having a first round bye. It is just too difficult to beat SEC competition on four consecutive days.