Sometims a loss is a good thing, sometimes its bad

[Vols till I fall]

Remember earlier in the season when our guys were playing a lot more care-free and I believe, somewhat cocky? What happened? We got embarrassed by a bad Colorado team, probably the most I'm embarrassing loss I can remember during the Rick Barnes Era.

What happened after that? We rebounded from that and went on to win the Battle for Atlantis, a big victory over Kansas.

Losses like this make you stronger. Yes, the refs did rig this game, if this was played on a netruel site, Tennessee wins by 15 points, but we also shot ourselves in the foot by missing some easy looks.

This reminds me of the early days of "don't pick us" in the ncaa tourney, and we got bounced by Loyola Chicago.

I think this is preparing us to be a very good team when it matters most, in March.

We need to get JJJ back healthy, Vescovi needs to find his shot again and ZZ needs more looks, he played his best game yet tonight.

I rather lose now than in the post season

 

[Shaun1985]

Normally I agree but there's a huge difference in losing to wake up and fix what's wrong and being the better team and getting screwed. Tonight, TN was the much better team and got hosed. If anything, it just gave TN more confidence because they were 10 pts better in a top 10 teams house.

 

[JoAllan]

For me I definitely think it shows Tennessee is a good team…..and everyone’s not even ready to go yet.

Tennessee can play with an offensive team……a really good one (on the road, even with terrible whistles/non whistles).

Hopefully at some point in January once everyone gels (as long as everyone stays healthy), Tennessee should be really good.

Should be very good at home and at neutral sites.

For me not sure how this loss is a “good” thing. Especially given how bad those non calls were late, how classless some of the Zona guys were, and knowing “if they were only fully healthy.”

 

[Vols till I fall]

Normally I agree but there's a huge difference in losing to wake up and fix what's wrong and being the better team and getting screwed. Tonight, TN was the much better team and got hosed. If anything, it just gave TN more confidence because they were 10 pts better in a top 10 teams house.

The lesson I'm learning from this is, even though the fix was in, we have got to find an offensive identity

The fact that we lost by a few point when Arizona had a foul called in favor for them every play speaks volumes.

We make a few more threes, this game is put to sleep.

I think it's remarkable how close of a game it was

 

[Shaun1985]

I agree. As bad as it was called, we could have lost by 20.

 

[Vols till I fall]

Definitely need Tyreke key to show host offensive skills like he did at state

Don't want another Chris Darrington situation

 

[rdk4121]

Definitely need Tyreke key to show host offensive skills like he did at state

Don't want another Chris Darrington situation

He's already scored more point here than Darrington did. He's mostly been pretty good, but he had a golden opportunity tonight to win us the game and came up short.

 

[livefaith]

We once again have offensive identity issues. From the 27-20 score UofA went on a 29-16 run and took control of the game. We had no answer for that European stretch big. He wreaked havoc on us without JJJ to throttle him.
Nevertheless, they seized the game over that period while our offense went dazed and confused. We never recovered and really blew so good opportunities down the stretch as well.
Refs were not on our side. But, that's what you get on the road in a rowdy environment. I felt that we got a few last year. When you go on the road, you have to defeat the bad calls too. We weren't good enough to do so tonight.
Get JJJ back once and for all, keep JP maturing till the NCAA, and develop Ibaka further, and we can make waves this year.

 

[southgatevol]

We once again have offensive identity issues. From the 27-20 score UofA went on a 29-16 run and took control of the game. We had no answer for that European stretch big. He wreaked havoc on us without JJJ to throttle him.
Nevertheless, they seized the game over that period while our offense went dazed and confused. We never recovered and really blew so good opportunities down the stretch as well.
Refs were not on our side. But, that's what you get on the road in a rowdy environment. I felt that we got a few last year. When you go on the road, you have to defeat the bad calls too. We weren't good enough to do so tonight.
Get JJJ back once and for all, keep JP maturing till the NCAA, and develop Ibaka further, and we can make waves this year.

Uros needed to keep himself in the game and not make the stupid mistakes. Aidoo and Awaka are not ready to guard that quality of bigs. Aidoo was absolutely schooled during that stretch. But hopefully can learn from that experience.

 

[Namorto1]

I’m not expecting any championships from this group but we are a good team and can play with most.

Our deficiencies are obvious and perhaps not fixable. Lack of a playmaker who can create their own shot when offense breaks down. Truly horrid shooting % and go long stretches of little to no offense. Poor execution and sometimes forget about post and rely on 3 pt shot too much, despite being an average perimeter shooting team. Injuries to JJJ and more recent Vescovi’s shoulder. Untimely turnovers.

But can’t question our effort. Tough minded and defend relentlessly and rebound well. I like our depth and frankly we should use it even more than we do. Pressure length of the court and try to run off turnovers and defensive rebounds alot more often than we do to either get easy baskets or get fouled. I think we would wear a lot of teams down over 40 minutes. Our half court offense often is not pretty, and we need easier buckets.

 

[D3Athlete]

This team is Rick Barnes best chance to finally make a deep run in march. Two things have to happen tho.
1. JJJ has to get healthy. He has to be the JJJ we had in March last year.
2. Phillips keeps growing and developing into the lottery pick he is. Last night was rough for him, but another learning point for him he can grow from.

 

[Volfan2012]

Were a very good team when we can play top ten teams and have some of our best players not be a factor in the game. The SEC is going to be fun Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas, Auburn, and MIss St are all good teams. A lot of games will be like this one tonight coming down to two or three plays and of course the Refs input for any particular game.

 

[VOLINVONORE]

A loss generated by homer Refs is always bad.

 

[VOLtaism]

That was a potential final 4 team. Now they know what to do to be a final 4 team. Zakai can't carry this team every night. I am sure Barnes knows what he is going to do with the offense as they begin the SEC season. His usual move is to give his core players more time and reduce the remaining players roles to giving short rests to the starters.

 

[OrangeInKy]

This team is Rick Barnes best chance to finally make a deep run in march. Two things have to happen tho.
1. JJJ has to get healthy. He has to be the JJJ we had in March last year.
2. Phillips keeps growing and developing into the lottery pick he is. Last night was rough for him, but another learning point for him he can grow from.

Eh, I think last year and 2019 were his best chances. JMO.

 

[OrangeInKy]

This team is Rick Barnes best chance to finally make a deep run in march. Two things have to happen tho.
1. JJJ has to get healthy. He has to be the JJJ we had in March last year.
2. Phillips keeps growing and developing into the lottery pick he is. Last night was rough for him, but another learning point for him he can grow from.

I am far from a bball authority, but I would bet a large sum of money he won’t be a lottery pick.

 

[D3Athlete]

Eh, I think last year and 2019 were his best chances. JMO.

This team is more athletic and can defend better than that team could, and have better depth at the 4 and 5 then the 2019 team did. If grant and Kyle wasn’t on the floor. Was a major drop off. And last year team didn’t have Phillips.
To your next point, Julian Phillips definitely has lottery pick potential. Even with JJJ healthy, Julian is key to this team reaching new levels.

 

[OrangeInKy]

This team is more athletic and can defend better than that team could, and have better depth at the 4 and 5 then the 2019 team did. If grant and Kyle wasn’t on the floor. Was a major drop off. And last year team didn’t have Phillips.
To your next point, Julian Phillips definitely has lottery pick potential. Even with JJJ healthy, Julian is key to this team reaching new levels.

im talking not necessarily about the talent of the team, but the path they had and what they accomplished before the tourney.
Tons of guys have lottery potential. He won’t be a lottery pick.

 

[CNeagleVolFan]

We need a go to guy when we need a basket. That’s what we are missing this year. I thought Key would be that guy, but he’s just an 8-12 ppg scorer it seems. He definitely is a starter on this team, but he is not a go to scorer. I thought Phillips would be, but he’s just too inconsistent. I thought Vescovi would be but his shot has seemingly went away due to injury. I thought JJJ would be but he’s been injured. I just don’t know who it’s going to be.

 

[VolunteerCeltic]

Without JJJ playing and Santi being a shell of himself, this team won't have much postseason success.

 

[cardvolfan]

Without JJJ playing and Santi being a shell of himself, this team won't have much postseason success.

I have no way of knowing what will or what won‘t happen to JJJ or Santi from a physical standpoint, but this I do know: Tennessee has been pretty impressive without these guys (and I’m talking about Santi’s limitations and JJJ’s limitations even when playing) so far. So, how can you possibly project their postseason demise?

 

[VolunteerCeltic]

I have no way of knowing what will or what won‘t happen to JJJ or Santi from a physical standpoint, but this I do know: Tennessee has been pretty impressive without these guys (and I’m talking about Santi’s limitations and JJJ’s limitations even when playing) so far. So, how can you possibly project their postseason demise?

3 things
1. Barnes lack of success in the NCAA tourney, he has a lot of round of 64 and 32 losses and couldn't get the Grant/Schofield team past Sweet 16.
2. Guard play- Tournament success is built on strong guard play, TN has not had consistency in that position and there is only one natural PG in ZZ who is outstanding at times, but cannot always carry the team. Need some quality depth built in that position badly, Santi is not himself and may not be the whole season
3. Defense has been good, even great at times, but you still have to score points. This offense is disjointed, no alpha point scorers and too many ill advised shots. Has to improve significantly for this team to be successful in the tourney, if they get down by 15pts+, they don't have the scorers to come back very easily.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

3 things
1. Barnes lack of success in the NCAA tourney, he has a lot of round of 64 and 32 losses and couldn't get the Grant/Schofield team past Sweet 16.
2. Guard play- Tournament success is built on strong guard play, TN has not had consistency in that position and there is only one natural PG in ZZ who is outstanding at times, but cannot always carry the team. Need some quality depth built in that position badly, Santi is not himself and may not be the whole season
3. Defense has been good, even great at times, but you still have to score points. This offense is disjointed, no alpha point scorers and too many ill advised shots. Has to improve significantly for this team to be successful in the tourney, if they get down by 15pts+, they don't have the scorers to come back very easily.

1). Only one team in the ENTIRE history of TN basketball has gotten past the Sweet 16. And teams with far better players than Grant and Admiral didn’t accomplish it.

Barnes’s NCAAT winning percentage would be far better if his marginal teams had failed to get invited. I’d rather go 1-1 in the NCAAT than be assigned to the NIT or worse.

 

[cardvolfan]

1). Only one team in the ENTIRE history of TN basketball has gotten past the Sweet 16. And teams with far better players than Grant and Admiral didn’t accomplish it.

Barnes’s NCAAT winning percentage would be far better if his marginal teams had failed to get invited. I’d rather go 1-1 in the NCAAT than be assigned to the NIT or worse.

I watched the entirety of the Tennessee-Syracuse game in the tournament (1977 I think) over the weekend. While the Vols weren’t very deep, that lineup is one we will never see the likes of again, I would imagine. That starting 5 was just unbelievable, and boy did they push the ball down the court.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

I watched the entirety of the Tennessee-Syracuse game in the tournament (1977 I think) over the weekend. While the Vols weren’t very deep, that lineup is one we will never see the likes of again, I would imagine. That starting 5 was just unbelievable, and boy did they push the ball down the court.

They sure could have used a Plav on that team. Bernard made up for not having a huge center. Or if Reggie had had another year or two to mature and add weight before 1976-77. Reggie Johnson, Bernard, Ernie, Mike Jackson, and Johnny Darden is probably TN’s most talented starting 5 EVER. Plus Terry Crosby as a 6th man. We sure could use any of those guys on the 2022-23 roster.