The Official #5 Tennessee @ Mississippi State Game Thread, 7:00 PM ET, SEC Network

[cardvolfan]

I know it will never happen, but I am done with Gainey. He’s giving you nothing on offense and his defense isn’t anything special.

0-5 from the field 0-4 from 3. He air balled a shot. I don’t care if you’re trying to send a message to your freshmen about preparation during the week, moving forward we should be giving either Carr or Dillione some run and those minutes. Gainey has been awful since Maui. I keep hearing “He’s a streak shooter, he’ll streak in the other direction soon.” Well, we’re close to halfway through the season if not right at the half way point and he’s been bad for close to 2 months.

Time for the freshmen to get in and see if they can provide a spark.

I agree 1,000%. Honestly, it feels like daddy ball to me. I wondered if this sort of thing might happen when he transferred here.

 

[TheMookieMonster]

I agree 1,000%. Honestly, it feels like daddy ball to me. I wondered if this sort of thing might happen when he transferred here.

Yeah, I’m trying to not pile on Gainey because there are certain posters that would get mad at me for it but he’s providing us nothing. I cannot think of any justification to keep playing him. He’s had close to two months to shoot out of his slump.

It’s not his fault. It’s Barnes decision to keep playing him.

 

[DonDiego]

Come March, we'll be aight. We never expected to go through this league undefeated on the road. MSU is a solid team and tough to beat in the Hump. We'll get ours.

 

[DonDiego]

Yeah, I’m trying to not pile on Gainey because there are certain posters that would get mad at me for it but he’s providing us nothing. I cannot think of any justification to keep playing him. He’s had close to two months to shoot out of his slump.

It’s not his fault. It’s Barnes decision to keep playing him.

Yep, gotta play your top five, plus really important rotational guys. Gainey ain't in there at this point.

 

[TNVOLFN]

Yeah, I’m trying to not pile on Gainey because there are certain posters that would get mad at me for it but he’s providing us nothing. I cannot think of any justification to keep playing him. He’s had close to two months to shoot out of his slump.

It’s not his fault. It’s Barnes decision to keep playing him.

I think he earned his minutes very early in the year, but he has regressed significantly and is costing us multiple possessions. His time has been reduced and needs to be reduced even more.

On another note, I think either Estrella or Phillips need more minutes and I support Freddie getting more time - he looked good on defense tonight.

 

[birdie74]

I think he earned his minutes very early in the year, but he has regressed significantly and is costing us multiple possessions. His time has been reduced and needs to be reduced even more.

On another note, I think either Estrella or Phillips need more minutes and I support Freddie getting more time - he looked good on defense tonight.

Freddie was more than a step slow on defense. He is not quick enough to stay in front of quicker guards. Gainey is a better defender. He is in a horrendous slump, however…

 

[volfan__18]

i’m agreeing with a lot. Estrella specifically needs more big game minutes. even if it’s in tiny spurts

 

[Volfan1000]

Knecht and Seigler kept Tennessee in the game tonight and Aidoo fouled way too much.

 

[Rocky Top T]

JJJ looked like he had never played before!!! Him and Gainey should have their minutes cut! Pitiful

 

[Rocky Top T]

We need points from JJJ in tough games like this--and he should know it.

He is good about not showing up.

 

[chuckiepoo]

I’m guessing the idiot AP poll sportswriters won’t notice we lost fellating Saban.

 

[turbovol]

I didn't realize until watching the highlights that we were within 3/5 points or less for the last 10 minutes or so of this game.
Amble chances and time to win it--but ultimately didn't do enough defensively to stop Miss. State.

 

[TNBV]

JJJ looked like he had never played before!!! Him and Gainey should have their minutes cut! Pitiful

The most ridiculous take on the internet today. Yes, JJJ had a bad game but he has been very solid this year. And his bad game does not come close to how absolutely abysmal Knecht looks when he is off (can't dribble or shoot). So your same logic would have had Knecht riding the bench due to his past performance. It is amazing how Vol fans just hide in the weeds looking for any opportunity to attack their favorite whipping boy.

 

[AthensVol2007]

Well evidently he can’t subtract there were just 8 seconds off the clock we had a layup he calls a 10 second violation

when the whistle was blown the shot clock was at 20. We didn’t have possession so State failed to advance the ball in less than 10 seconds.

 

[whodeycin85]

Learned alot more about this team in this loss then we would have a win.....man they came back from 15 down and took a good team to the wire....I'm proud

 

[orangemadam]

Great 2nd half effort.

Only problem I have with the game was that Gainey wasn't pulled back earlier and
the fact that Barnes almost always benches his players in first half with 2 fouls. Even
a 5 yr player who is most likely the best player and smartest on the team.

Surely Santi is smart enough to play with 2 fouls.

 

[BernardKingGOAT]

JJJ looked like he had never played before!!! Him and Gainey should have their minutes cut! Pitiful

I think Gainey's minutes will be cut. Silly take on JJJ

 

[TNVOLFN]

Knecht and Seigler kept Tennessee in the game tonight and Aidoo fouled way too much.

It took a Herculean effort in Starkville and Chapel Hill by Dalton Knecht for the Vols to not get absolutely embarrassed.

 

[Volfan2012]

Great play by Knecht and Ziegler no help offensively from two seniors James and Vescovi or Gainey off the bench. A line of 2 for 17 from those three killed two guys great effort. Always tough on the road, but we have to get more from those three guys and better defense from our post players.

 

[HendoCinco]

Estrella needs to be in the rotation, he’s aggressive.

 

[KTrain]

I think Gainey's minutes will be cut. Silly take on JJJ

He actually put Gainey back in the 2nd half and he missed another, I think an air ball. Think his confidence is gone on the offense side. IMO need to slip him in when an if we gain big leads in any upcoming games to get his head right without hurting the team.

 

[Orangeslide]

I’m not sure if I can attribute it to coaching or if it is a lack of player leadership (or both), but what got Tennessee tonight is the same thing that got it in Chapel Hill: a no show first half. Inexplicable for that to happen twice in a season with such a veteran group.

Vols shot the ball bad in first half. Plenty of good looks but shots would not go down. We have to shoot the ball better on the road. I know that sounds simple, but a veteran group must take more responsibility for the first half performance. One would hope we will be motivated for a noon game in Athens Saturday. The dogs are 2-0 In conference play. We gotta make shots. Hopefully Aidoo will show better. Don’t think Georgia has a scoring big that will bully him.

 

[b_gann]

Yeah, I’m trying to not pile on Gainey because there are certain posters that would get mad at me for it but he’s providing us nothing. I cannot think of any justification to keep playing him. He’s had close to two months to shoot out of his slump.

It’s not his fault. It’s Barnes decision to keep playing him.

Somebody had mentioned Freddie was dealing with an injury, and I thought he looked pretty bad when he was playing early in the season. I'm no Gainey fan, but maybe it's our only option if Freddie isn't healthy. Not sure... I'd rather see Freddie or Carr though.

 

[TNVOLFN]

Great play by Knecht and Ziegler no help offensively from two seniors James and Vescovi or Gainey off the bench. A line of 2 for 17 from those three killed two guys great effort. Always tough on the road, but we have to get more from those three guys and better defense from our post players.

I didn't think I'd be saying this, but we could've used Plavsic this year in all four losses. We wilt versus physical centers, has happened every time this year.

 

[TNVOLFN]

Estrella needs to be in the rotation, he’s aggressive.

I agree, if anything, just to take some fouls off Aidoo - I really thought Tobe was going to have a big year, but it's almost as if he has regressed in the rebounding department and offers nothing offensively.