The Official #17 Tennessee vs. #25 Missouri Game Thread, 3:30 PM ET, ESPN

[CAVPUT]

The Vols have to get more from JJJ.

He's not a freshman. JJJ is who he is.

 

[D3Athlete]

Like I have said for 2 months, we will win one game in each of the two tournaments. You can’t be so inconsistent and not have a pure shooter and win in this league. Sad but true. We will be a 4/5 seed next week and we will be done before Sunday. I have to say this is Barnes worst coaching season since he has been with the Vols. No one on this team other than Owaka has gotten any better. I think each player has regressed.

You can’t make that statement when had full roster full only 12 games entire year. When have to keep creating different lineups throughout the whole year, it just not easy. If he were healthy entire year, then this would be the right statement.

 

[WaywardVol]

I'm actually ok that they played somewhat competitively but lost. No reason to run yourself in the ground with 4 games in 4 days, when the NCAA proved last year that you don't get any seeding reward for winning the SEC.

They still have a chance in March, but any team that can sustain ball pressure and force us to use multiple ballhandlers will beat us easily, if they can shoot. Maybe they can get lucky with their NCAA draw and matchup with un-athletic teams that sit back in a passive defense or teams that are good defensively but bad offensively, like us (like Virginia, Kansas, Arkansas, Northwestern, TCU?)

Losing should be best thing, but Barnes will practice these guys into the ground.

 

[joevols89]

We just choke in close games in the final minutes. No idea why.

 

[charleyhorse]

I hope Alabama smokes there ass tomorrow

Missouri won’t get the same physical calls tomorrow. They won’t shoot well either . Bama by 20

 

[MoCo_Vol]

We let any team drop 49 on us in a half and we're losing...just not the way this team is built.

Maybe next year's squad will be a bit more explosive and athletic to get up and down the court a bit. But we're a very methodical team. We don't press and we like forcing teams to work in the half court.

 

[DowntownVol]

I know Barnes hates playing zone, but without ZZ, we're just not quick enough to keep from getting beat off the dribble. SV does all he can, but he's generally chasing faster guys and he's getting gassed late in games. If we get beat because we play zone and the other team gets red hot from 3, so be it.

 

[omghulkhands]

You can’t be so inconsistent and not have a pure shooter and win in this league.

If Santi Vescovi isn’t a pure shooter, what in the world do you consider to be a pure shooter?

How many of these pure shooters are there in college basketball, if Vescovi does not qualify as one?

 

[landscapingvol]

I hope Julian comes back. Carr, Dillone, Jefferson, mashack all have the build and athleticism to attack the rim which we don't do at all right now.

You hope Phillips comes back? On what planet is he a lottery pick?

 

[Volanooga2521]

I'm actually ok that they played somewhat competitively but lost. No reason to run yourself in the ground with 4 games in 4 days, when the NCAA proved last year that you don't get any seeding reward for winning the SEC.

They still have a chance in March, but any team that can sustain ball pressure and force us to use multiple ballhandlers will beat us easily, if they can shoot. Maybe they can get lucky with their NCAA draw and matchup with un-athletic teams that sit back in a passive defense or teams that are good defensively but bad offensively, like us (like Virginia, Kansas, Arkansas, Northwestern, TCU?)

I guess I should be concerned with a 1st round matchups too. Furman, Iona, Yale are the types of 13 seeds who could beat us.

 

[C-south]

Well no its not 1952 anymore

Somebody tell Rick.

 

[Vol49er]

You hope Phillips comes back? On what planet is he a lottery pick?

I mean you can leave school early without being a lottery pick

 

[Ttucke11]

We don’t have the speed to get through the defense and facilitate like ZZ did, and we don’t have speed and athleticism to harass the ball handler bringing up the ball like ZZ did. Have to find some type of way to replicate it.

Thats years in the making by only having 1 point guard on the roster.

 

[landscapingvol]

I mean you can leave school early without being a lottery pick

As a freshman? That would be a genius move

 

[D3Athlete]

Once again losing out on Yuri Collins and Tyrese hunter bites us in the ass.

 

[utvolz98]

We just choke in close games in the final minutes. No idea why.

common denominator? Barnes…

 

[OldVolMan]

Be objective. There are teams our style can dominate and there are teams whose style is a horrible matchup for us. Missouri = horrible matchup.

I’m just being practical, but let me be more explanatory. We are not going to play any Ole Miss equal teams in the tourney, and yes we can look good against those type matchups.
But against equal talent we are not consistent, and I think are playing like intimidated or not to lose late in game.

 

[jeff1vol]

The Vols have to get more from JJJ.

We've said that for FOUR years now. Hes soft as a puppy's belly. The only guys that play hard every time out is Vesco and ZZ. The rest can go. They are pretty much Horizon League talent anyway. And not much better than Horizon league coaching and recruting. But Barnes is a HOFer, you know.

 

[D3Athlete]

Thats years in the making by only having 1 point guard on the roster.

Not like he didn’t try to get one. Got accused of tampering with one and out bid for the other.

 

[Ttucke11]

You hope Phillips comes back? On what planet is he a lottery pick?

On what planet were springer, Keon, and KC lottery picks? Kids leave early all the time whether they should or not.

 

[C-south]

If Santi Vescovi isn’t a pure shooter, what in the world do you consider to be a pure shooter?

How many of these pure shooters are there in college basketball, if Vescovi does not qualify as one?

He’s a good shooter. That’s about it.

 

[W.TN.Orange Blood]

 

[Vol49er]

As a freshman? That would be a genius move

Genius move or not, freshman leave early all the time without being projected in the lottery. We literally had a player on our team last year who did just that. And two players the year before that. Not sure why it’s a crazy concept

 

[Ttucke11]

Not like he didn’t try to get one. Got accused of tampering with one and out bid for the other.

I'm not a Barnes hater, but that's an excuse. It's his job to build the roster.

 

[D3Athlete]

He’s a good shooter. That’s about it.

He would have made over 100 threes again already if wasn’t for the shoulder. Second best shooter I have seen put on the Vols jersey behind Lofton.