Tennessee vs. Kentucky in the Sweet Sixteen. Are you nervous?

[SN-A-C Orange]

I don’t think it’s a great mystery, it’s not this simple, but overall…we struggle with over helping, it’s why we are a great defense, but it’s also why when we lose it’s typically to a team shooting well from 3. In our wins we hold teams to about 26% from 3, in our losses that number is about 36% from deep, 16-6 when opponents shoot 26%+, 13-1 when it’s <26%. What does Kentucky do better than anyone else in the league since January 1? Shoot the 3, right at 40% as a team since conference play started, so they excel in what is our “deficiency”.

A huge part, and it’s hard to break habits, but we have to lock up 1-1 and not help, if you get beat to the rim and give up a tough 2 whatever, but stop helping which plays entirely into their hand and allows them to get into that rhythm, which is a shooters best friend.

We need to think... if they make a driving 2 ...then we reduced their score by one point.
What I have seen is players who drive and kick out...typically are NOT high percentage finishers on the drive.
There are a limited number of possessions ... make them beat you shooting the shots that are not their favorite shots.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

Butler may be limited when relying on his left shoulder, but he’s right-handed and still a very dangerous player with the ball - 14 pts, 5 assists, and 4-5 from the floor in 33 minutes vs Illinois. It’s not like he’s hopping around on one leg.

Now include the previous 5 games…he’s limited and struggling, it’s been talked about a lot, not saying he’s hopping on 1 leg but he’s also not even close to playing at his best, at least hasn’t been.

 

[DeepSpringsVol]

These are the 40 officials selected to work the Regional Semis on Thursday & Friday. Specific game crews have yet to be announced.
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Michael Irving gonna do a line of coke before the games?


Ohhhh not that Michael Irving. Oops!

 

[VolCalls]

Now include the previous 5 games…he’s limited and struggling, it’s been talked about a lot, not saying he’s hopping on 1 leg but he’s also not even close to playing at his best, at least hasn’t been.

The most up to date analysis of any player/team is what they did in their most recent appearance. They were an underdog to Illinois in a do-or-die game and he stepped up when they needed it most. I expect no different on Friday.

 

[VolFreakJosh]

This is where Felix and Phillips need to have their best game.

Force Williams and Carr to beat you in the paint. If they score then so be it.

Just take them off the three point line.

 

[PA Vol]

They shot out of their minds from three range both games we’ve played. If they’d have cooled off any we would have snuck out wins both times.

Let’s shut them down Friday.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

The most up to date analysis of any player/team is what they did in their most recent appearance. They were an underdog to Illinois in a do-or-die game and he stepped up when they needed it most. I expect no different on Friday.

They were underdogs against Bama or @ Missouri?

 

[volbound1700]

Kind of cool to have opportunity to play them again after the bad taste of losing to them twice to be frank.

 

[VolCalls]

They were underdogs against Bama or @ Missouri?

No idea but they probably were. All I know is he stepped up big in a win-or-your-season-is-over game three days ago.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

No idea but they probably were. All I know is he stepped up big in a win-or-your-season-is-over game three days ago.

For sure, I just put more stock in a 5 game sample size than a 1 game sample size

 

[Volprofch05]

never heard of them

Lappas was the coach at Villanova before Jay Wright

 

[K-town Vol Fan]

 

[VolsSportsFan]

we actually had Kentucky beat in Rupp and then had a late collapse. It's rare with a lead we meltdown like that, I doubt we let is happen again

We were up 2 with over 4 minutes to go; we could have won yes but that’s hardly having them beat.

 

[VolsSportsFan]

Twice in two separate gyms, no less. A third time in a third location won't be an anomaly. We'll just be forced to accept that something we do defensively doesn't work for what UK likes to do on offense.

Yep. As already stated our tendency to over help burned us against UK twice and honestly it will be extremely disappointing if we let it happen a 3rd time. I get the defense is the best against the 3 but if you lose to the same team 3 times giving up 50% 3 point shooting and the last loss derails what was thought to be a legit FF then being the best won’t mean a whole lot.

I’m expecting a much better defensive performance this time and if we don’t see it then we’re just going to have to admit we didn’t get it done. 3 times isn’t a fluke.

 

[Anti-shunshinepumper]

We need to think... if they make a driving 2 ...then we reduced their score by one point.
What I have seen is players who drive and kick out...typically are NOT high percentage finishers on the drive.
There are a limited number of possessions ... make them beat you shooting the shots that are not their favorite shots.

Troy had some success defending them with I believe it was a 2-1-2 zone. Barnes may want to look at that.

 

[VolCalls]

For sure, I just put more stock in a 5 game sample size than a 1 game sample size

I get it. I just know this is a guy who had a great game on Sunday vs. Illinois, in his current condition, and also hit a buzzer beater in 2023 to send San Diego State to the national title game. His leadership is just as important as anything he does on the floor. Brad Underwood said after the game Sunday Kentucky will go "as far as Lamont Butler can take them." He's a big-game player and tomorrow is a big game.

 

[508mikey]

I get it. I just know this is a guy who had a great game on Sunday vs. Illinois, in his current condition, and also hit a buzzer beater in 2023 to send San Diego State to the national title game. His leadership is just as important as anything he does on the floor. Brad Underwood said after the game Sunday Kentucky will go "as far as Lamont Butler can take them." He's a big-game player and tomorrow is a big game.

You for Kentucky ?

 

[VolCalls]

You for Kentucky ?

Not even worth a response, brother - but I'll give you one. If you followed our back and forth dialogue this wouldn't even be a question.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

I get it. I just know this is a guy who had a great game on Sunday vs. Illinois, in his current condition, and also hit a buzzer beater in 2023 to send San Diego State to the national title game. His leadership is just as important as anything he does on the floor. Brad Underwood said after the game Sunday Kentucky will go "as far as Lamont Butler can take them." He's a big-game player and tomorrow is a big game.

For sure, he’s got a lot of that Zeigler dog in him, I get it, he’s definitely a huge part of what they do on both ends…but just like I’m sure Kentucky fans would rather Zeigler have a bum shoulder that seemingly has bothered his shooting, I don’t mind one bit if he’s a bit banged up heading into this game, with that said he’s now had another week so who knows, he may be 100%.

 

[Stoked]

For sure, he’s got a lot of that Zeigler dog in him, I get it, he’s definitely a huge part of what they do on both ends…but just like I’m sure Kentucky fans would rather Zeigler have a bum shoulder that seemingly has bothered his shooting, I don’t mind one bit if he’s a bit banged up heading into this game, with that said he’s now had another week so who knows, he may be 100%.

100% until he runs into Igor or Phillips setting a screen. We run so many screens and him trying to keep up with ZZ will be difficult with that thought running through his mind. He is a menace on ball defender though, so ZZ really has to take care of the ball!

 

[TheMookieMonster]

I’ve been listening to KSR a lot this week just out of curiosity to see how they are feeling. They are extremely confident, which I guess shouldn’t be a surprise. They just think they are going to continue to get whatever shot they want on our defense, and Matt Jones even had the audacity to say he thinks they shot poorly in their two matchups and he thinks they could have beaten us by even more in both games if they made open shots.

 

[TheMookieMonster]

 

[Stoked]

I’ve been listening to KSR a lot this week just out of curiosity to see how they are feeling. They are extremely confident, which I guess shouldn’t be a surprise. They just think they are going to continue to get whatever shot they want on our defense, and Matt Jones even had the audacity to say he thinks they shot poorly in their two matchups and he thinks they could have beaten us by even more in both games if they made open shots.

I live up here and every fan I know are as nervous as I am. None are like what you see on their forums and on Twitter, surprisingly.

 

[vol94]

You for Kentucky ?

@ Volcalls is all Vol (no pun intended) .

He’s just posting facts

 

[VolCalls]

I’ve been listening to KSR a lot this week just out of curiosity to see how they are feeling. They are extremely confident, which I guess shouldn’t be a surprise. They just think they are going to continue to get whatever shot they want on our defense, and Matt Jones even had the audacity to say he thinks they shot poorly in their two matchups and he thinks they could have beaten us by even more in both games if they made open shots.

Matt Jones is a tool.