The Official #4 Tennessee vs #16 South Carolina Game Thread, Wednesday 7pm est/ESPN2

[WillisWG]

morning to all, just another great day to be a Tennessee Vol

 

[Col_Cathcart]

We actually shot more FT's than they did which is highly unusual for the road team. It was almost like they were not even there some of the time. I liked it better than the normal tick tack fouls they usually call on us.

That discrepancy is partly because USC settled for 3s a TON in the first half and also did some intentional fouling towards the end. Before the intentional fouls there might have been less than a dozen trips to the line total which is crazy

 

[tev.sm]

What's becoming more surprising as we've gotten in more close games throughout this season is Coach Rick Barnes becoming more willing to call a timeout when opposing teams have cut into our lead. I recall him doing this in a previous game or two this season and particularly this game when SC cut the lead to 6 in the 2nd half.

Hope he's starting to turn a corner on managing momentum in these kind of close games.

 

[sami]

I honestly thought they were too lax at times lol. Let the game get away a little bit and I was worried someone was going to get hurt.

I never felt like it got that far, but it was really physical. I love that kind of game, and will take that any time over whistles every time down the court. Given what we have to deal with referee-wise in the SEC, last night was one of the 'good ones'.

 

[GAVol]

We actually shot more FT's than they did which is highly unusual for the road team. It was almost like they were not even there some of the time. I liked it better than the normal tick tack fouls they usually call on us.

I mostly agree but . . . the problem when the officiating gets lax is that Knecht starts getting held a lot off the ball and sometimes flat out mugged.

 

[utvolpj]

What's becoming more surprising as we've gotten in more close games throughout this season is Coach Rick Barnes becoming more willing to call a timeout when opposing teams have cut into our lead. I recall him doing this in a previous game or two this season and particularly this game when SC cut the lead to 6 in the 2nd half.

Hope he's starting to turn a corner on managing momentum in these kind of close games.

Yeah, one day he may become a pretty good coach. Time will tell

 

[dillyo51]

Our defense flat out bad tonight. Open threes and beating us on drives and we can’t get a friggin rebound.

Tennessee’s defense is so poor that jr scored all of 59 points.

 

[tn4elvis]

Yeah, one day he may become a pretty good coach. Time will tell

His move to press a little bit after made baskets definitely picked up the tempo a little over the last few minutes. I was worrying about us taking the air out to early. The token pressure CRB used with Ziggy was a really good move.

 

[tn4elvis]

From my 84 year old Dad that lives in North Myrtle Beach and my response to him .

 

[Vol$_Deep_11_9]

From my 84 year old Dad that lives in North Myrtle Beach and my response to him .

Alabama State Champs and SEC Regular Champs in the same week, I'll take it!

 

[MoCo_Vol]

I think the 2 games against South Carolina highlight the importance of HITTING YOUR FREE THROWS

Game 1 at TBA scored 59
21 of 58 FGs for 36.2%
5 of 21 3PTs for 23.8%
12 of 20 FTs for 60.0%

Game 2 at USC scored 66
20 of 56 FGs for 35.7%
7 of 20 3PTs for 35.0%
19 of 22 FTs for 86.4%

a 7 point swing in scoring and we hit 7 more FTs.

 

[Sudden Impact]

I think the 2 games against South Carolina highlight the importance of HITTING YOUR FREE THROWS

Game 1 at TBA scored 59
21 of 58 FGs for 36.2%
5 of 21 3PTs for 23.8%
12 of 20 FTs for 60.0%

Game 2 at USC scored 66
20 of 56 FGs for 35.7%
7 of 20 3PTs for 35.0%
19 of 22 FTs for 86.4%

a 7 point swing in scoring and we hit 7 more FTs.

Again we missed some bunnies in this game not as many as the first game, but it is the way the game goes. Tennessee has a problem with big multiple inside players. Look at our losses, the first of the season needed to adjust and did but it is a razor thin adjustment. That is why I think Barnes went to the Awaka & Aidoo lineup at times.

 

[MoCo_Vol]

Again we missed some bunnies in this game not as many as the first game, but it is the way the game goes. Tennessee has a problem with big multiple inside players. Look at our losses, the first of the season needed to adjust and did but it is a razor thin adjustment. That is why I think Barnes went to the Awaka & Aidoo lineup at times.

Our bigs (specifically Aidoo) has a problem with multiple hacks uncalled at the rim.

 

[MoCo_Vol]

We actually shot more FT's than they did which is highly unusual for the road team. It was almost like they were not even there some of the time. I liked it better than the normal tick tack fouls they usually call on us.

We hit more FTs, but really offensively for us it was a near mirror game. Just shot better from deep and from the line. Would have beat them at TBA had we shot the same % as last night.

 

[Proud Army Wife]

I never felt like it got that far, but it was really physical. I love that kind of game, and will take that any time over whistles every time down the court. Given what we have to deal with referee-wise in the SEC, last night was one of the 'good ones'.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t disagree and the friendly lack of whistle certainly helped last night. I was just worried about injuries so late in the season.

 

[sami]

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t disagree and the friendly lack of whistle certainly helped last night. I was just worried about injuries so late in the season.

I hear you, but injuries can happen anytime, and for no reason - look at ZZ's injury last season. There's no way to 'prevent' injuries other than to not be playing. Damn, I hate even talking about injuries.

 

[CAPTAIN--VOL CAVALRY]

OK, so I was thinking that the best part about last nights win in Cooterville, aside from the actual "win" itself, was the fact that Dawn Staley stayed late for the game instead of leaving for the SEC tournament and got to watch Lamont Paris get his arse handed to him in front of a sold out crowd,,,,,,especially after buff shinning Paris all week. Wonder what else she's polishing off this week?

LOL, the filthy dirt peckers had it coming.

God Bless the good Deacon Rick Barnes

 

[Proud Army Wife]

I hear you, but injuries can happen anytime, and for no reason - look at ZZ's injury last season. There's no way to 'prevent' injuries other than to not be playing. Damn, I hate even talking about injuries.

Yeah. My BVS is flaring, don’t listen to me.

 

[1974Vol]

Our bigs (specifically Aidoo) has a problem with multiple hacks uncalled at the rim.

Was in Columbia last night and I don't remember seeing a more physical basketball game. The officials let them play and both teams brought their muscle. The result was a bunch of misses at the rim by both teams - harder to make layups with an elbow in your back. If you couldn't finish through contact, you just didn't finish. It looked like Stute came back from his knee sprain just to mug Dalton. The contact on Knecht away from the ball would get you arrested for assault in most states. But it made it all the sweeter when the refs kept their whistles swallowed down the stretch and the Lame Cocks freaked out and started their "refs suck" chant and throwing ice on the floor! The two calls that really made them lose their minds were the Johnson drive where he fell and turned it over, and the late 3 when Cooper jumped into Mashack. NO CALLS BABY, suck it up and play on! As Genghis Khan said there’s nothing better than "To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women." lol GBO

 

[Dr H Lecter]

I can say that the only change call of the year on a secondary defender was called against us last night. Honestly, I don’t remember seeing one called in any game I’ve watched, and I’ve seen a lot.

 

[The Dog]

What's becoming more surprising as we've gotten in more close games throughout this season is Coach Rick Barnes becoming more willing to call a timeout when opposing teams have cut into our lead. I recall him doing this in a previous game or two this season and particularly this game when SC cut the lead to 6 in the 2nd half.

Hope he's starting to turn a corner on managing momentum in these kind of close games.

Barnes usually applies the Bobby Knight Philosophy that his team is so well coached that his team doesn't need a timeout most of the time, because they know how to handle it and what they need to do to stop the bleeding. But, I think the main reason he is calling more timeouts on runs is because he has been so successful on out of bounds play, this year. So now, he calls a timeout and calls a play to stop the bleeding, mainly because with DK and this veteran team, it's going to work and we are going to score. Jmo, but it makes sense to me

 

[sami]

The two calls that really made them lose their minds were the Johnson drive where he fell and turned it over, and the late 3 when Cooper jumped into Mashack.

And both were proper no calls. Johnson ran out of control into what Jimmy Dykes called a "big orange wall", and Shack did a beautiful job of avoiding a foul, Cooper throwing his hip out trying to draw the foul. Paris acted out and the fans were just desperate at that point begging for whistles.

 

[sami]

Barnes usually applies the Bobby Knight Philosophy that his team is so well coached that his team doesn't need a timeout most of the time, because they know how to handle it and what they need to do to stop the bleeding. But, I think the main reason he is calling more timeouts on runs is because he has been so successful on out of bounds play, this year. So now, he calls a timeout and calls a play to stop the bleeding, mainly because with DK and this veteran team, it's going to work and we are going to score. Jmo, but it makes sense to me

Agree completely. That TO when the lead was cut to six was to get an inbounds play called, and then a play call if it didn't work. He just wanted a good shot after a couple of sloppy possessions. This year's team has been brilliant at getting quality looks to stop a run and change momentum, a testament to Barnes, the veteran leadership of this group, and how well Knecht has fit into the overall scheme.

 

[kckempf]

And both were proper no calls. Johnson ran out of control into what Jimmy Dykes called a "big orange wall", and Shack did a beautiful job of avoiding a foul, Cooper throwing his hip out trying to draw the foul. Paris acted out and the fans were just desperate at that point begging for whistles.

Paris being on the other side of the floor probably honestly thought it was a foul, and I wasn't sure myself until the replay.

 

[tev.sm]

Barnes usually applies the Bobby Knight Philosophy that his team is so well coached that his team doesn't need a timeout most of the time, because they know how to handle it and what they need to do to stop the bleeding. But, I think the main reason he is calling more timeouts on runs is because he has been so successful on out of bounds play, this year. So now, he calls a timeout and calls a play to stop the bleeding, mainly because with DK and this veteran team, it's going to work and we are going to score. Jmo, but it makes sense to me

This makes a ton of sense, definitely appreciate this perspective - didn't think to put 2+2 together.