The Official #6 Tennessee @ Vanderbilt Game Thread, 3:30 PM ET, SEC Network

[D3Athlete]

Great effort to come back. Sitting Zeigler entire rest of first half was difference.

Second foul should have never been called. Edwards flat out stuck his arm and leg out just to flop

 

[Vols All Day]

Tn can be good but not when you only have 1 shooter or scorer. Tn does not have that one or 2 players that can go get you points.

This team is starting to look like 2022-23. Short handed and no go to scorer.

 

[JCP201]

That bs.

He is a great player.

Pound sand.

He is a good player for us, but too many people comparing him to Dalton. I can't believe he missed that free throw, but it shoudln't have come down to that. So many things that could have been better. As someone said, why sit ZZ for fear he is fouling out, while leaving him out is the equivalent anyway?

 

[volfan__18]

3-5 seed in the sec tourney? Maybe, long way to go. But there’s no way we’re a 5 seed in the NCAA tourney, we’ll probably be a 1 or 2

a 1? no way. more like a 3-4.

 

[VolsSportsFan]

Seems to be go to cop out. You ever played basketball at a high level? You realize how tired your legs are at end of games and how much it impacts free throws? Throw in nerves and a guy down on his confidence. Confidence is everything once you get to a certain level in sports.

What I’m saying is, there are probably a lot of fatties on this board who can’t go hit a free throw without the pressure or being tired in the first place.

It’s not a cop out, a cop out is the “you can’t do it”line. By that logic you can’t criticize anything if you haven’t or can’t do.

 

[patrick]

I like Lanier but he appears to be extremely streaky. He is capable of being the best player on the court but coming into tonight he is 8-33 for 25 points in the last 3 games. Yes his stats were better tonight but something is off it appears.

Leading scorer tonight for the Vols.

 

[utVolFanInVA]

You said there would be no comeback, there was a comeback. You thrive on just being Negative

No, I just don't like watching bad basketball. To play like **** for 4-5 minutes at a stretch multiple times in the same game then pray for miracles to happen in the last 2 minutes is not a recipe for success. At the 10 year mark in a coaches tenure, one would like to see a more efficient / consistent level of play. Unfortunately, TN is not capable.

 

[K-town Vol Fan]

BAMA and Auburn gonna be murder

Stop being so soft. We still have a good basketball team. I'm sure both games will be battles.

 

[KnoxtotheBoro20]

hate it for Lanier to have 2 chances to tie it and choke

 

[vavolfan6]

That graphic was not other teams just the TN losses to Vandy and there have been plenty if you have been watching for the last 20 years

Yes, I was aware. Tennessee has had plenty good teams since Barnes has been here. Vandy has been up and down. No matter what, it is hard to win in Memorial. The top 10 number next to your name only energizes Vandy's fans who are ready to take their anger from losing in football out on the basketball team.

 

[hound dog hillbil]

Iam worried for rest of season,dont see the killer instincts

 

[Berry4Heisman14]

When shack is on the floor he kills us offensively. Seems like teams have figured out how to guard Chaz, he isn’t quick enough to beat you off the dribble so just staying in his face preventing open shots seems to be the way to go. Ziegler for all the good things he does has been turnover prone this season. I really thought this team was better than they are. A 5-7 seed imo, hopefully we get hot when it counts

 

[JacketVol]

Yes, clearly.

.6

It is reviewable and the fact their fans stormed the court, they should’ve cleared them and if he was out then bring them out of the locker room and play it.

 

[Anti-shunshinepumper]

Why was he even the guy driving

I said it in weeks past, I would rather gainey have the ball in those situations. Has shown he can hit a big one and much better foul shooter, too.

 

[KnoxtotheBoro20]

The way the 1st half ended still ticks me off.

Endup being the difference in the game. gifted a FT on a made 3. then lost by 1

 

[VolsSportsFan]

Was the Vandy player not touching the ball out of bounds

Nope, they just showed the replay and his foot was clearly in bounds when he touched it.

 

[Sudden Impact]

Much needed win, today.
MS State - home, @ Auburn, KY - home, Florida - Home.
It is up to the Coaches and Teammates to get Lanier back on track. Not Sure what it up with him.
Gainey was a non factor but the drive and Free Throws would have been made.
Still think this team will gel as this will be another game to grow on and learn from in the future.

 

[ttocswob]

Yeah, that’s my main critique. Having Z on the bench the rest of that half was an unforced error and cost us the game. What’s the point of making sure he doesn’t foul out if you’re just gonna take him out of the game yourself?

Games rarely hinge on the first half… Vandy extended the 6 point halftime lead to 16 with Zakai in, and UT lacked 1 point from going to OT.

 

[Cannot believe]

So all those wide open 3s, were the refs setting screens on TN?

Dude, I agree these refs made very bad calls. Are you taking up for them?

 

[patrick]

He is a good player for us, but too many people comparing him to Dalton. I can't believe he missed that free throw, but it shoudln't have come down to that. So many things that could have been better. As someone said, why sit ZZ for fear he is fouling out, while leaving him out is the equivalent anyway?

Yes Lanier isn’t DK but he is a very good player. I agree ZZ should have been in the game to close the 1st half - bad decision by Barnes. Cant miss those free throws but I’d say the next time Lanier will make those.

Cant blame this on Lanier though - the team as a whole didn’t play well defensively - too many turnovers. Etc etc.

 

[LegionnaireOfTheMiserable]

Seems to be go to cop out. You ever played basketball at a high level? You realize how tired your legs are at end of games and how much it impacts free throws? Throw in nerves and a guy down on his confidence. Confidence is everything once you get to a certain level in sports.

What I’m saying is, there are probably a lot of fatties on this board who can’t go hit a free throw without the pressure or being tired in the first place.

Since nobody on this board is a basketball player, it really doesn’t matter at all if they can hit a free throw. Since Chaz Lanier is a basketball player and the guy his team leans on as a go to guy, it’s pretty damn important he hits pressure free throws.

Lanier may be in this position again, and it might matter a lot more when he is. Nick Anderson’s entire career trajectory changed based off missing free throws in a big spot. That was a terrible thing to happen to a guy who is trying to come out of a slump, and saying he is better than someone on a message board makes you look ignorant. We can hope that won’t affect him going forward, but often times it does. That was a horrible way to lose a game that most had probably accepted as being over.

 

[Tshotdan]

We won't win that game. We are fortunate their All SEC post is still hurt though.

Even with that loss it won't knock us out the SEC race. There is a long way to go.

At least this was a tier 1 road loss.

Obviously they don’t get into the game until the end. And this was the ending they deserved. They are a no better than a 20th ranked team and that is where they are headed. Start playing for goodness sakes.

 

[hound dog hillbil]

Gainey is strong in tough spots

 

[volbound1700]

3-5 seed in the sec tourney? Maybe, long way to go. But there’s no way we’re a 5 seed in the NCAA tourney, we’ll probably be a 1 or 2

1? Right now Florida, Alabama, Auburn, Duke, Marquette, and Iowa State are all ahead of us. Kansas could pass us up. Ole Miss is also climbing fast.

 

[VolCalls]

Tennessee is not a top 15 team and I doubt seriously they make it past the first weekend in March. Not an emotional post because I've felt this way for awhile now. Lanier is no Knecht and this team don't have the quality depth or offensive firepower to compete with top teams. It's a rival so these games happen but I don't see a single chance Tennessee can compete with Auburn, Kentucky, or Florida a second time.

Emotional post 100%. You nor anyone else has any idea where we’ll end up in the bracket or who will be in our region two months from now. NCAAT is all about matchups.