The Official #5 Tennessee @ #15 Kentucky Game Thread, 7:00 PM ET, ESPN

[MoCo_Vol]

double post

 

[hUTch2002]

To be fair the two white kids were low rated by UK standards. Noah was a South Carolina commit and wasn’t offered by the previous staff. Perry was a low 4 star I think but there was always gonna be growing pains going from playing local small town ky basketball to sec level ball. He’s like 6’1 and pretty unathletic. I think Zakai should have taken him 1v1 more cause he’s a poor defender on ball

Fair. I’m going more off “old UK” under Cal I guess. You all are just a bad matchup for us. If we do see you again I think we just have to do our best to defend your drivers one on one. If they make a tough 2 we have to live with it. It’s clear we can’t help off the perimeter players.

Edit: Some of my comment is frustration at having 2 empty chairs.

 

[hUTch2002]

Yea being ranked in the top 10 for the majority of the year is SLOP.

That made me chuckle.

 

[GUNTERSVOL]

What a disaster! No offense and marginal defense (at best), Vols were simply out hustled and outplayed. It is that simple!

They are frustrating, they have good games, they have bad games. Too many of our self appointed fans have a bad lifetime record. Way below the Mendoza line. Good thing they don’t show up at the games en mass.

I know, I know, every team has them, but it still hurts to be inVOLuntarily associated with them. The same feeling you get sitting close to LOUD negas at high school football games. The eyeroll inducing guys and gals. Oh well.

 

[hUTch2002]

One year removed from an Elite 8 and an SEC title. That is not slop. I get it though. I am frustrated too. I think this team is not as good as we thought. Early season success created unrealistic expectations. However, they are going to the tourney, going to get a good seed. If they play well at the right time they can go deep. Season is kind of over as far as winning anything (SEC title). Get some of the younger guys more minutes for next year and start getting ready for the NCAA tournament.

Post season Rick to the rescue! Y’all don’t be shocked when we make a run that equals or exceeds last year.

 

[cwbytruckers]

Defense is necessary to win whether you like it or not. There is no team in the kenpom era that has won a national title without a top 25 defense and most of those teams had a top 10 defense.

Kentucky had the 3rd best offense in the country last year and went one and done in March because they gave up 30 points to a guy who’s probably doing their taxes now.

Never said you couldn’t without defense. But a defense only system will never win

 

[beachvol23]

Except that just a year ago we won the SEC title down the stretch and advanced to the EE

Some serious ignorance in your post

Pardon me, 9/10 feels like every year!

 

[Orangeslide]

This team is either hot or cold, with no in-between. That means it's a roller coaster ride. With this inconsistency, they will never be able to put together a long win streak, which bodes bad for tournament play. They can beat anyone or lose to anyone.

I would have to agree, the odds of us stringing together 4 straight wins in March Madness is unlikely. I hope they prove me wrong. Barnes said if he could coach shot making during a game, he would do this gig till he’s 110. I think our floor spacing or lack thereof is an issue. When ZZ dribbles in the paint and back out, it seems to keep the floor unbalanced. I‘m no expert, but no one is leaving Lanier when he penetrates or Gainey if he’s in the game, and his height makes it hard to finish inside, although he has at times. Kentucky offense was simple against us, penetrate, draw, dish to open shooters when the help comes. They have enough shooters to make you pay and we don’t. If anything, we probably should changed to no help on penetration and tried to make the driver pull up and make a tough 2. But hey, what do I know, I’m just a big vol fan wanting us to beat Kentucky. For the love of God, I pray we don’t see them in the SEC tournament. I cannot stand the thought of losing to them 3 times in a season. If we don’t change our game plan with help if we see them again, I’m afraid they will torch us again. They have shooters and they have proven against us they will make almost half of them. In Barnes we trust, Go Vols!

 

[UTS4EVR]

It did matter. When you are on the road it makes a huge difference, especially in the last few minutes of the game. We worked hard to stay the course, regain the lead and put pressure on Kentucky. But it was at that time the refs kept calling fouls for Kentucky when we only had 2 fouls most the 2nd half.

They were calling fouls on Tennessee at the end BECAUSE TENNESSEE WAS FOULING!! That was the only way the Vols could extend the game. Tennessee actually went to the line 5 more times than Kentucky. Kentucky just coached better and executed better.

 

[Purplehaze26]

An elite defense is naturally Gonna have more fouls because of their aggressiveness