The Official #5 Tennessee vs. Vanderbilt Game Thread, 1:00 PM ET, SEC Network

[joevols89]

Purdue got their ass beat at home today. Florida lost at home to Missouri. UK lost at home to Arkansas. Florida was up double digits the entire first half at Auburn for crying out loud

I didn’t say teams don’t lose at home. We were down 16 to a team likely to miss the NCAAT. So criticism during the first half is totally normal.

 

[volsarelife1]

Mature teams can win by deciding to win. Vandy had a lot of dumb luck that can be discouraging, and we played a really bad defensive first half, but we decided to win. If we do well in the tournament, I think we’ll look back at that first half as a turning point. Long road ahead, but that second half was very important in determining who we are.

I agree somewhat. But wouldn't that mean they just weren't a mature team against Kentucky. Decided not to win after being up 3 and letting them go on a big run to end the game

 

[Stoerner Fumbles]

Can someone who knows the game better than myself explain why in the last 2 minutes we didn’t double Edwards to get the ball out of his hands? He dribbled full distance of the court and rained contested 3’s. Sometimes it seems when someone is on fire you make someone else beat you?

Typically we never double someone that ZZ or Mashack is covering. At his height and release point, I’m amazed he got those shots off. Lightning fast release. We played good defense. He hit crazy shots.

 

[vols 30]

Honest criticism is warranted, but personal attacks on players is never acceptable

Agree

 

[vols4lfe]

Mature teams can win by deciding to win. Vandy had a lot of dumb luck that can be discouraging, and we played a really bad defensive first half, but we decided to win. If we do well in the tournament, I think we’ll look back at that first half as a turning point. Long road ahead, but that second half was very important in determining who we are.

The Edwards shot in the 2nd half when Gainey was covering, and Edwards turns around and throws it blind at the basket. Horrible shot selection that was somehow a bucket. Still have no clue how that went in.

 

[Stoerner Fumbles]

I agree somewhat. But wouldn't that mean they just weren't a mature team against Kentucky. Decided not to win

Every team has bad nights. Every team faces adversity. Great teams use it. You either go further down after a bad game or respond. We responded.

 

[roberthunter]

Two things can be true at the same time:

It was an abysmal half and they deserved tons of criticism for the lack of effort.
The guy that said the "doners" are going to get rid of Barnes because of some supposed ongoing abomination does not live in reality.

 

[BernardKingGOAT]

The Edwards shot in the 2nd half when Gainey was covering, and Edwards turns around and throws it blind at the basket. Horrible shot selection that was somehow a bucket. Still have no clue how that went in.

Eyes in the back of his head

 

[YankeeVol]

 

[Tenacjim]

It was a callback joke from earlier in the thread.

Ahhh. Too much trash to sort through back there. And no blue font.

 

[Delmar]

The Edwards shot in the 2nd half when Gainey was covering, and Edwards turns around and throws it blind at the basket. Horrible shot selection that was somehow a bucket. Still have no clue how that went in.

Not to mention Carey’s banked 3 from the front in the first half. Talk about a blind squirrel finding an acorn.

 

[VFL1127]

Great 2nd half from the guys. Play like that for 2 and we could be a real contender.

 

[volsarelife1]

Two things can be true at the same time:

It was an abysmal half and they deserved tons of criticism for the lack of effort.
The guy that said the "doners" are going to get rid of Barnes because of some supposed ongoing abomination does not live in reality.

I think this sums it up best. There's not a person on this board who shouldn't have been been upset with that first half performance and effort from the team. But saying the doners will get rid of Barnes is just next level dumb

 

[walkenvol]

Most impactive call was a no call on their big guys flush to make it tight. He clearly displaced Igor with an over the back foul. 3:47 mark I think it was if you want to challenge it.

You are right about the call against 12 too. Legal guarding position after being forced back by two significant shoulders to his chest.

Don’t think you can hardly get called for a charge inside that restricted arc any more.

 

[OrangeBeachVol]

Like to know what Barnes said at half. He needs to keep that speech for future games when needed.

 

[tennrich1]

Exactly. Some people don’t understand ball.

I’m not opposed to fans posting their opinions (they get crazy in the game thread so I avoid it) but it just seems oftentimes so pathetic and narcissistic …that’s just my opinion of course. And those two conditions combined is intolerable …IN MY OPINION! Great win Vols…glad Naismith made basketball to have two halves (or whoever did).

 

[Delmar]

Like to know what Barnes said at half. He needs to keep that speech for future games when needed.

In his interview after the game, Z said he and Barnes said some things and he left it at that. I think they got into them pretty good.

 

[MoCo_Vol]

Every team has bad nights. Every team faces adversity. Great teams use it. You either go further down after a bad game or respond. We responded.

The game of basketball is all about runs. Today we played flat the first half and they took advantage, but it was an entirely different second half, it was under 8 minutes to go before Vandy even reached 20 points that half...and if not for Edwards getting hot they wouldn't have scored 70.

My biggest frustration with the 2 games against Vandy, they have 3 "bigs" and they're all 6'7 or 6'8 and twice now they've out rebounded us.

But claiming being down in the first half suddenly meant this team was "done" and would finish the SEC 500 or worse is just a kneejerk reaction. Most of us regular "sunshine" pumpers just don't see the point in posting that nonsense.

Sitting here watching the game I was absolutely having kneejerk reactions and bitching that first half....but the desire to run to the forum to post it like it's a good take or adds any value to a game thread is weird.

 

[EZE]

Ahhh. Too much trash to sort through back there. And no blue font.

These game threads are always pure gold when the Vols get down early…no matter the sport.

 

[GUNTERSVOL]

Now the super fans start showing up to tell people how awful they are for negative posts in the first half.

Facts IS facts! Let’s go back and review them and grade them. Don’t think they age all that well.

 

[Clad in Big Orange]

Facts IS facts! Let’s go back and review them and grade them. Don’t think they age all that well.

It's a game thread and is time-sensitive. If you don't use a game thread to vent what you are seeing, then congratulations! For most folks it doesn't work that way.

 

[walkenvol]

Anybody who watched the first half lazy and lack of effort was justified to be disappointed in their play. No excuse for such a senior heavy team to not bring max effort, especially home conference game. I was feeling sorry for the 21K folks who gave up their day and money to go support that first half shat show. Doesn’t justify some of the regular personal attacks against our coaches and players, but how can they show up and not bring the effort?

 

[BernardKingGOAT]

Anybody who watched the first half lazy and lack of effort was justified to be disappointed in their play. No excuse for such a senior heavy team to not bring max effort, especially home conference game. I was feeling sorry for the 21K folks who gave up their day and money to go support that first half shat show. Doesn’t justify some of the regular personal attacks against our coaches and players, but how can they show up and not bring the effort?

That's the way it looks when you're getting your ass beat. I've heard too many top level athletes speak to it when they've been called lazy and seemingly not putting forth the effort

 

[deezvols]

The strength of this team is definitely their inability to quit. It nearly won us the 1st Vandy game too.

 

[Stoerner Fumbles]

The game of basketball is all about runs. Today we played flat the first half and they took advantage, but it was an entirely different second half, it was under 8 minutes to go before Vandy even reached 20 points that half...and if not for Edwards getting hot they wouldn't have scored 70.

My biggest frustration with the 2 games against Vandy, they have 3 "bigs" and they're all 6'7 or 6'8 and twice now they've out rebounded us.

But claiming being down in the first half suddenly meant this team was "done" and would finish the SEC 500 or worse is just a kneejerk reaction. Most of us regular "sunshine" pumpers just don't see the point in posting that nonsense.

Sitting here watching the game I was absolutely having kneejerk reactions and bitching that first half....but the desire to run to the forum to post it like it's a good take or adds any value to a game thread is weird.

First half was terrible. That’s the worst defense and rebounding half of the year. It was frustrating to watch. I think losing that game might’ve been hard to recover from.