The Official #10 Tennessee vs. #1 Alabama Game Thread, 7:00 PM ET, ESPN2

[Delmar]

Let me start off by saying good win.

Santi looks to have his swagger back.

Aidoo was an absolute force out there in every facet of the game.

Zakai put on arguably the most impressive ball-handing clinic I’ve ever seen in a UT uniform.

Mashack is god-awful on offense right now but damn he’s a freak of nature athletically. Guard version of Pons. Can absolutely be a force in this league if he continues to develop his O.

But oddly enough— I didn’t walk away from this game feeling necessarily much better about this team, but hopefully this is a start. A lot of the same offensive issues were still prevalent. We were overwhelmingly the more physical team tonight. Bama didn’t match it, but will they allow us to play like that come March?

I didn’t come away feeling super impressed with Bama either. They’re soft inside. JQ is a magician with the ball but couldn’t create separation for anything tonight. Our 2 best wing defenders were out tonight and Brandon miller was still held in check.

Thought Olivier silently had a solid game. Didn’t try to do too much and played within the game.

Any credit for Barnes in there or was he just along for the ride?

 

[VolGee4]

TN plays better when the refs let them play. We are a physical team and struggle when they call touch fouls. As Barnes and other coaches say, it’s the players’ responsibility to adjust to the officiating.

ZZ needs to be smart as tonight showed we need him on the floor for 36-38 min per game. He was def the floor general tonight.

I’m not quite sold on that because we struggle on offense if we get beat up. It’s tough for ZZ and SV to score with contact, and ON, UP, and Aidoo can struggle with contact. I think we play fundamental really well.

 

[vol94]

Agree. I give Barnes and ZZ credit tonight. He picked up his third foul with about 14 mins to go and Barnes left him in.. and he played smart. We're a different team when he's not on the court.

Exactly. I posted then that ZZ had to stay in the game.

 

[vol94]

Any credit for Barnes in there or was he just along for the ride?

He coached a great game imo

 

[Volstylexx]

I think they mostly all did before the game even started.

Nah.. they were lurking. They had their comments cued up with a finger on the "enter" button. There's a sports psychology that shows people will cheer against their own team if it makes them feel like "they were right." They'll be back at the next sign of trouble to say "tOlD yOu sO"

 

[Volstylexx]

 

[cardvolfan]

Nah.. they were lurking. They had their comments cued up with a finger on the "enter" button. There's a sports psychology that shows people will cheer against their own team if it makes them feel like "they were right." They'll be back at the next sign of trouble to say "tOlD yOu sO"

Well-said.

 

[RockyTopJA]

By being consistent.

Fun fact: we lost to Bama last year, also down two key starters, and were EXTREMELY consistent for the rest of the year just shortly after that loss…until we weren’t. I’ll gladly take the Ls over the past few weeks if it means we’re about to go on a similar run.

 

[Volstylexx]

Some stats scrolling on ESPN:

Vols held Bama to a season low 59 points (averaged 83.4 PPG entering game)
TN forced 19 turnovers (led to 26 points)
Held Alabama to 4-18 shooting in final 14 minutes of play

 

[Volfan1000]

Aidoo and Plavsic bullied Alabama's posts all night long.

 

[Volfan1000]

Let me start off by saying good win.

Santi looks to have his swagger back.

Aidoo was an absolute force out there in every facet of the game.

Zakai put on arguably the most impressive ball-handing clinic I’ve ever seen in a UT uniform.

Mashack is god-awful on offense right now but damn he’s a freak of nature athletically. Guard version of Pons. Can absolutely be a force in this league if he continues to develop his O.

But oddly enough— I didn’t walk away from this game feeling necessarily much better about this team, but hopefully this is a start. A lot of the same offensive issues were still prevalent. We were overwhelmingly the more physical team tonight. Bama didn’t match it, but will they allow us to play like that come March?

I didn’t come away feeling super impressed with Bama either. They’re soft inside. JQ is a magician with the ball but couldn’t create separation for anything tonight. Our 2 best wing defenders were out tonight and Brandon miller was still held in check.

Thought Olivier silently had a solid game. Didn’t try to do too much and played within the game.

Plavsic scored 10 points and grabbed 4 rebounds tonight.

 

[gainesvol82]

What a fantastic game other than having to hear Bilas complain about officiating as if Bama didn't get a host of BS calls go their way in the first half. Zebras were much better in second half.

 

[rdk4121]

Mashack probably had the most important zero point performance I've ever seen. He made Miller's night incredibly tough.

 

[sportsnut624]

we need to put that ref crew on retainer. If we get a whistle like that and lets us play that physical in March we will cut the nets down. One of my criticisms of past Barnes teams is we struggled in physical games. This team though thrives in these ugly hacking type games.

 

[smokeymon]

I said it's great to be a...

Tennessee VOL

 

[Col_Cathcart]

Mashack probably had the most important zero point performance I've ever seen. He made Miller's night incredibly tough.

Mashak was a monster. He was locked in defensively. They should show that possession where he stoned JQ one on one for 15+ seconds with 40ish seconds left in the game in clinics.

 

[Orange.]

 

[chuckb1448]

Got home late from work. I'm in Alabama now so I talked trash all day at work... now I get to Reap My Rewards when I head back to work, thank you Volunteers for playing a Complete Game tonight

 

[Evan]

Just had a woman in a mini van drive past me and yell F**** Tennessee because I was wearing a Tennessee hoodie. I hate it here smh....

 

[DuckInAPen]

Just had a woman in a mini van drive past me and yell F**** Tennessee because I was wearing a Tennessee hoodie. I hate it here smh....

Let them hate, so long as they fear.

 

[EasternVol]

Are we better without Phillips?

No.

 

[OrngeJuiceJones]

Dublin Va is on fire let's gooooo

 

[Mccage]

By being consistent.

Not to many consistent Teams anywhere!

 

[vols 30]

Next 2 are on the road. UK and A&M. I'll take a split and be happy.

 

[The Dog]

Next 2 are on the road. UK and A&M. I'll take a split and be happy.

Me 2. But, if we win in Rupp, I think we win both. A&M is living on borrowed time, imo