The Official #4 Tennessee vs #11 Auburn Game Thread, Wednesday 7pm/ESPN2

[walkenvol]

The script to beat Alabama is very simple but challenging to do. Run them off the perimeter and slow them down in transition. Alabama will not settle for a half-court offense type of game. They know they can’t win games like that. They don’t have the horses in the paint to do that.

Where Alabama gets teams is with their relentless pace for the entire game. Some teams can hang with them for a little while but they can’t go toe to toe the whole game. Alabama can and that’s exactly what they want to do. They make up for their lack of a big, physical post presence by running your team to death and forcing you to be fundamentally sound the entire game to stop them. Find a way to slow them down and destroy their post defense and you will win the game. A lot easier said than done.

Easy enough for us a few weeks back?

 

[VOLINVONORE]

Hey, it's great that Knecht can have monster games like this one--but I still believe JJJ and Vescovi need to take their shots--shots that are there. But they don't. They pass up a lot of shots. Vescovi drives into the lane a lot, and has opportunities to pull up and take an 8-10-foot jumper, yet he doesn't shoot. He does this a ton. He had 2 shots tonight. JJJ took 2 shots in the first 4.5 minutes of the game and took 1 shot the rest of the game. Great game, great win, but I think we're a better team when our scoring is a bit more balanced and we don't need a hero performance from DK to win.

When you go down 8 points with DK out of the game, you realize that you are going to lose the game if he doesn't Get back in the game. From that point on, he outscores the entire Auburn and we win going away. It also helped that ZZ got all but 2 of his points in the second half. However, we would not have won last night without his super playing on both offense and defense I think he also had 7 rebounds to add to his effectiveness. Pearl even tried to triple team and even that did not work. Just image what his stats would be if he had not been injured early in the season. Also, image what some of the other players might develop into, if they practiced in the gym as much as he does. I applaud him and his work ethic to the game of basketball. I think there is a lot of talent on this team and each one of them can improve their game with more time in the gym.

 

[Proud Army Wife]

We stopped them pretty good the first time, I feel this Vols team wants to go into Bama and pull another 20 pt beatdown. Bama has no defense.

I agree, it’s just playing them at their house and the revenge factor that worries me.

 

[VOLINVONORE]

Ya, JJJ and Santi need to contribute more, JJJ did have 4 blocks last night

If they would take their open shots, they would score more and open up the floor for others to have easier shots.

 

[Proud Army Wife]

Bama is a different critter at home just like we are. Gotta have JJJ and Vescovi contribute more than 4 pts combined on offense tho. If those 2 pull a no show on offense.....

Yeah it’s not feasible to rely on Knecht hero ball every game.

 

[VolunteerCeltic]

The most important block was the one Bruce somehow thought was a foul and led to him being T’d up

I agree 1000%

 

[GUNTERSVOL]

I don’t think the out of bounds call was malicious. I believe the ref just took a guess. He was likely distracted by the big body coming right at him and with the way the ball traveled out of bounds, I believe he assumed it was deflected in that direction.

You must call it out on the last guy you can confirm touching the ball. ZZ was not close to touching the ball. Fear of Pearl is no excuse, no matter how close he is.

 

[BallerVolFan]

Easy enough for us a few weeks back?

On our home floor, yes. At Alabama on a Saturday night with College Gameday in town in a revenge game for them with the SEC title on the line is a completely different story. It will be very hard to replicate our first performance at least to that level. We are not winning by 20 again. A 1-point win is all we need. Going to be very tough.

 

[TechnoVol]

Just watched the replay. In the second half after DK got going, every time he had the ball in his hands, you could hear the crowd buzzing, anticipating what he was going to do next. I don’t remember that ever happening before.

 

[walkenvol]

Just watched the replay. In the second half after DK got going, every time he had the ball in his hands, you could hear the crowd buzzing, anticipating what he was going to do next. I don’t remember that ever happening before.

I noticed the same, especially the play where Aidoo fell down grabbing the rebound. There were 3 distinct roars during that play alone.

 

[tennesseeduke]

He's a good free throw shooter, he just had a tough stretch tonight. It happens.

Freak agreed, however you cannot miss 4 in a row when you're behind. Also he's dropped below 70% for the season now, that has to improve come tournament time.

 

[tennesseeduke]

It just feels like this is the team, and Knecht is that dude. Second half ZZ, and Aidoo (if he can avoid breathing on other big men) plus the emergence of Awaka has us on another level when we are clicking. Just need Santi, JJJ, or Gainey to be a threat.

The formula is simple and obvious. DK (25), Aidoo (15), & ZZ (14) are carrying the team point wise. If 1 of JJJ, SV, TA or Gainey can provide 15-20 total between the 4 of them, or 1 has a great game between them, we will not lose another game. Get to 80pts in a game now, and we will not lose.

 

[berryvol]

Just wanted to get something started, I'm sitting in Brehm on the Ag Campus completing a lab report thats due shortly so I cannot give this the attention #YankeeVol can and feel free to update or merge if given the chance. Well anyway Let's Go Vols and whip the tigers!

Hey pal, go ahead and start the game thread today please