Tennessee vs South Carolina Official game thread (6:30 SECN)

[Thunder Good-Oil]

They practiced after the game?

.

 

[Sos]

Those are some awful stats to have to digest.

Team looked disinterested for a bunch of experienced players. Bad sign

 

[Sos]

.

JJJ & Santiago should have been 1st out .

 

[MoCo_Vol]

I understand your point, but I personally disagree. 5 star recruit, McDonalds All American. I think its to be expected that he’d be in shape and ready to play basketball. His stats this season are pretty much the same as they were his freshman year. I’m just not seeing the progression. Barnes is hell bent on giving him 29 minutes a night and has been for 5 seasons now.

There's "in shape" and then there's "Rick Barnes" in shape. It's one reason we rarely see first year freshmen come in and just set the world on fire here. Springer, Keon, JJJ... they all eventually play themselves into shape, but he's so demanding of playing hard defense it's harder than just playing for Kentucky or another coach that doesn't emphasize it as much.

 

[VOLtaism]

They practiced after the game?

Practiced what? Hopefully they gave DK the night off.

 

[OrangeInKy]

I thought I was responding to the cock fan with that post - apologies if I did it wrong.

No problem my man

 

[vavolfan6]

Yea, but GTech and USCe aren’t at the same level. KenPom 45 versus 130, even if it was a road game for UNC

True, but even then, as it currently stands both losses count as Quad 2

 

[LadyinOrange]

I can forgive tonight's loss if they just show up Saturday and stomp a mud hole in Kentucky.

 

[AthensVol2007]

You have to play college ball to know that 6-15 from the free throw line the last two games is trash? Where did you take math?

He’s 9-17, which isn’t good, but it’s infinitely better than your numbers. And he’s still 80% on the year. I admire his dedication but I’m afraid he’s wearing himself out; on the pregame show, Vince told Barnes he was at the gym last night at 10:30 shooting and Barnes said he wasn’t surprised but that Dalton needs to take care of himself cause we still have 2/3 of the SEC schedule to go. So it sounds like Barnes is even concerned about his stamina long term.

 

[OrangeInKy]

He’s 9-17, which isn’t good, but it’s infinitely better than your numbers. And he’s still 80% on the year. I admire his dedication but I’m afraid he’s wearing himself out; on the pregame show, Vince told Barnes he was at the gym last night at 10:30 shooting and Barnes said he wasn’t surprised but that Dalton needs to take care of himself cause we still have 2/3 of the SEC schedule to go. So it sounds like Barnes is even concerned about his stamina long term.

My bad . 9-17. Barely over 50 percent. Horrible for a player of his caliber who is an 80 percent free throw shooter. I’m not putting the loss on him, I’m not even digging him, I was saying that to get POY, that’s an aspect of his game that has to be better, and for UT to win games that matter, he has to be better from the line. As far as him wearing himself out, that was my thought when I saw he was out there about practicing after the game. I don’t think it’s necessarily a good thing. His work ethic isn’t the issue. His work ethic isn’t in doubt. Being out there tonight is a good message and a good look, but he has to rest for the long haul.

 

[Namorto1]

I understand your point, but I personally disagree. 5 star recruit, McDonalds All American. I think its to be expected that he’d be in shape and ready to play basketball. His stats this season are pretty much the same as they were his freshman year. I’m just not seeing the progression. Barnes is hell bent on giving him 29 minutes a night and has been for 5 seasons now.

I will always respect JJJ and think his contributions to UT basketball far outweigh the likes of Kennedy Chandler, Julian Phillips, etc.....types but it appears the most obvious question with him is that he never really has improved that much offensively despite starting most of his career from day 1 as you note. His injuries have held him back at times, but other than some stretches where he found his shooting touch from three or a mid-range game, the peaks and valleys over his career has been perplexing and one of the most discussed issues on this board. His peaks and valleys this year have been even more pronounced.

For other highly rated players out of high school like Scotty Hopson and Robert Hubbs, their careers had a nice progression and growth each year. JJJ is an excellent defender and certainly more to the game than just stats, but stats aren't irrelevant either and currently he is basically playing at his Soph year level for the year but some of his worst offensive stats ever since SEC play started. I hope he figures it out over this 2nd half of the season as it is kinda sad to watch him on that end of the court lately. Within conference play, 28.6 min/game, 3 pts/game, 23.7% FG, 5.6% from 3-FG, only 4 FTs in 7 SEC games and hitting 50% of them.......ugh. Coaches need to help him figure that out.

 

[turbovol]

He doesn’t have the same role though. The last two years, we needed his scoring. This year, we just need him to be a high level supporting cast member. DK and Aidoo have become the first two options. ZZ needs to be a facilitator. SV, JJJ, and Gainey need to defend and knock down shots when open, and JJJ helps with rebounding.

You need more than 2 guys who can give you a solid 10+ points, because if one of your 2 scorers has a off night, as Aidoo did, then you've got one scorer and you lose. SV has passed up a lot of shots this season--too many--and JJJ has just become passive the last few weeks and Barnes needs to light a fire under him. He could be taking the ball to the basket--he's got an NBA body and can handle the ball, and a nice jump shot. He's just never been aggressive. The team is too unbalanced now offensively, and it's starting to look like a problem.

 

[Namorto1]

You need more than 2 guys who can give you a solid 10+ points, because if one of your 2 scorers has a off night, as Aidoo did, then you've got one scorer and you lose. SV has passed up a lot of shots this season--too many--and JJJ has just become passive the last few weeks and Barnes needs to light a fire under him. He could be taking the ball to the basket--he's got an NBA body and can handle the ball, and a nice jump shot. He's just never been aggressive. The team is too unbalanced now offensively, and it's starting to look like a problem.

Agree with this. It will get to the point where entire focus is on DK and other teams just dare our other players to beat them. Barnes best UT squad had 5 guys average in double figures for the year and was among the most efficient offenses in the country in 2018-19. While Knecht's skill is ridiculous, we have to find more guys we can rely upon on offense, and as tonight showed us Barnes needs to figure out more options than just letting Knecht take it from top of the key. Definitely need a post presence each game and if Aidoo is off, and if Awaka is inconsistent, if you are going to use DK on every trip down the court at least take it out of his hands and try to screen and let him post up a defender every other play vs making him create on his own time after time on pick and roll at the top. Everyone else is there watching. If they are at least trying to feed him the ball in the post, others are cutting through the lane, probing with dribble and involved in the offense.

Just bad offense at home. And 8 pts from the bench just won't get it done.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Agree with this. It will get to the point where entire focus is on DK and other teams just dare our other players to beat them. Barnes best UT squad had 5 guys average in double figures for the year and was among the most efficient offenses in the country in 2018-19. While Knecht's skill is ridiculous, we have to find more guys we can rely upon on offense, and as tonight showed us Barnes needs to figure out more options than just letting Knecht take it from top of the key. Definitely need a post presence each game and if Aidoo is off, and if Awaka is inconsistent, if you are going to use DK on every trip down the court at least take it out of his hands and try to screen and let him post up a defender every other play vs making him create on his own time after time on pick and roll at the top. Everyone else is there watching. If they are at least trying to feed him the ball in the post, others are cutting through the lane, probing with dribble and involved in the offense.

Just bad offense at home. And 8 pts from the bench just won't get it done.

Oddly enough, Kyle Alexander wasn’t one of the 5 double figure scorers and he was a senior. Actually all the first 7 in the rotation were in their 3rd or 4th year. Bone was a beast and got that offense cranking.

 

[orangemadam]

Losing a game like this is ok for the league play. Problem is that come
March, this kind of game is why UT doesn't have a good March history.

 

[TennTom]

Yep, people like Basilio can chill on the national player of the year talk. He’s incredible, of course, but you can’t be trash at the line like that and expect to beat Edey in that race.

Free throw % this year
Knecht 78.1%
Edey 73.8%

 

[Pappy]

You have to play college ball to know that 9-17 from the free throw line the last two games is trash? I guess you got me

a guy has one off night at the line & you call him trash...yeah, I got you

 

[IndianapolisVol]

Practiced what? Hopefully they gave DK the night off.

DK stayed late to practice free throws, was the last one to leave the gym

 

[VOLINVONORE]

Estella played well in 1st half. None in 2nd half. They shot and played physical we didn’t. Simple

I guess when he missed a dunk, he earned a seat on the bench.

 

[ColinS]

We want survive long in March without more balance. Right now we are getting bounced by a low major in the first round if Knecht is off. Knecht needs to be our best offensive player not our only offensive player.

 

[ColinS]

DK stayed late to practice free throws, was the last one to leave the gym

His free throw was flat. It looked like one of our softball pitcher's fastballs going up there. I think one was clocked at 82 mph with the radar gun.

 

[The Tall Gguy]

I think we should work on getting Gibson Jimerson to transfer to Tennessee next year (from St Louis)

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

I guess when he missed a dunk, he earned a seat on the bench.

I think that Estrella played to buy minutes and save fouls on Aidoo and Awaka. When it didn’t look as if either was probably going to be in deep foul trouble Estrella wasn’t needed to replace the other 2 posts. Estrella wasn’t going to stop USCjr’s posts with the low centers of gravity from pushing their way to the basket.

 

[VOLINVONORE]

I think that Estrella played to buy minutes and save fouls on Aidoo and Awaka. When it didn’t look as if either was probably going to be in deep foul trouble Estrella wasn’t needed to replace the other 2 posts. Estrella wasn’t going to stop USCjr’s posts with the low centers of gravity from pushing their way to the basket.

Neither Awake or Aidoo were able to do it. That will be a problem against teams with really good 7 footers. I think this is the biggest problem we will face in post season play.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Neither Awake or Aidoo were able to do it. That will be a problem against teams with really good 7 footers. I think this is the biggest problem we will face in post season play.

Estrella isn’t the answer (this year). The low post defense has cost UT in every loss. TN needs a lucky draw in the NCAAT or else have several shooters hitting 3s when facing the goon and fat ass centers.

The rotation is determined primarily by how players performed in practice and not a few minutes of game time.