The Official #6 Tennessee vs. Florida Game Thread, 5:00 PM ET, ESPN2

[VolsAgainstTheWorld15]

Good win. Held a good offensive team well below their season averages. Big one against Alabama this weekend. Arguably the best team we’ve played since our trip to UNC. Need FCC / TBA to be a hellacious environment for that one.

 

[walkenvol]

I think JJJ and SV's designed roles are different now, especially when Knecht is hot.

Don’t think their roles are to miss bunnies and free throws?

 

[pimo1]

I selfishly want ZZ to play just well enough that he comes back next season and we make a deep run in the tourney. With our post issues, I don't see us winning it all. The chances we draw 6 teams without dominant post play is slim.

 

[walkenvol]

Mashack needs more of his minutes.

So he can turn it over to Florida with 6 seconds left in the half giving them a free bunnie? Mashack makes plenty of mistakes also. To make the run we all want, I believe SV has to regain his 3 shot that we’ve seen his whole career.

 

[Ernest T. Vol]

Don’t think their roles are to miss bunnies and free throws?

They took 8 shots combined.

 

[walkenvol]

I selfishly want ZZ to play just well enough that he comes back next season and we make a deep run in the tourney. With our post issues, I don't see us winning it all. The chances we draw 6 teams without dominant post play is slim.

Where’s ZZ going…not the NBA at his size.

 

[vols1071]

I selfishly want ZZ to play just well enough that he comes back next season and we make a deep run in the tourney. With our post issues, I don't see us winning it all. The chances we draw 6 teams without dominant post play is slim.

Aidoo has been good... Awaka has been a little down but starting to pick it up some lately... Awaka I feel once he gets it going amd some confidence the post game will be legit... Estrella getting some time was big amd he can be that 3rd guy to give some minutes if he can keep progressing

 

[SGMVols]

 

[StickMan]

My wish list for Saturday: SV and JJJ break out and each goes for 15+; Gainey breaks out and hits 4+ three's; Vols beat the turds by 30+.

 

[Sea Ray]

So he can turn it over to Florida with 6 seconds left in the half giving them a free bunnie? Mashack makes plenty of mistakes also. To make the run we all want, I believe SV has to regain his 3 shot that we’ve seen his whole career.

SV is all out of sync. I don’t know what’s up with him. Even that last free throw missed big time

 

[MoCo_Vol]

I selfishly want ZZ to play just well enough that he comes back next season and we make a deep run in the tourney. With our post issues, I don't see us winning it all. The chances we draw 6 teams without dominant post play is slim.

We just beat a Gators team that only hits 7 3s a night and rotates 4 bigs 6’9” or taller…Awaka, Aidoo, & JP did fantastic. Players are able to get better as the season goes on.

 

[walkenvol]

Aidoo has been good... Awaka has been a little down but starting to pick it up some lately... Awaka I feel once he gets it going amd some confidence the post game will be legit... Estrella getting some time was big amd he can be that 3rd guy to give some minutes if he can keep progressing

Estrella is clearly the most productive of the freshmen. I keep hoping Dillione can figure it out but right now he’s unproductive. Hope they start giving Estrella 5+ minutes a game maybe going a bit bigger giving JJJ a blow.

 

[Namorto1]

Best offensive player since Houston. Can score at all 3 levels.

 

[Namorto1]

I liked the fact that we kept attacking the paint in the 2nd half. We can at times fall in love with perimeter shot. Only 18 of our 60 shots were from the 3 pt line. That is progress IMO.

 

[vol94]

Nice win. And this teams still hasn’t reached its ceiling.

 

[wmcovol]

So he can turn it over to Florida with 6 seconds left in the half giving them a free bunnie? Mashack makes plenty of mistakes also. To make the run we all want, I believe SV has to regain his 3 shot that we’ve seen his whole career.

Vescovi just isn’t part of the offense anymore. I’ve seen numerous opportunities for drivers to kick it out to him but, unlike years past, they don’t. Getting only 4 or 5 shots a game basically says Barnes is happy him tying up a defender who doesn’t leave him. He still plays great defense & passes very well. He lost 2 or 3 assists today with guys missing or getting layups blocked.

 

[VOLtaism]

Dalton declared a Dee-Hawd on the Gators!

 

[Ernest T. Vol]

Vescovi just isn’t part of the offense anymore. I’ve seen numerous opportunities for drivers to kick it out to him but, unlike years past, they don’t. Getting only 4 or 5 shots a game basically says Barnes is happy him tying up a defender who doesn’t leave him. He still plays great defense & passes very well. He lost 2 or 3 assists today with guys missing or getting layups blocked.

Yes, his job is different now. He's affecting the game positively along with JJJ. Great D, assists, steals, etc.

 

[MoCo_Vol]

Honestly as long as JJJ & Santi keep playing well everywhere else I’m not worried about their points. BOTH of them came back to win. Neither returned to pad stats or work on something for the draft.

I love both players, JJJ isn’t getting drafted but may work his way onto a NBA roster with his size & skill set. Santi could have never came to TN and went pro outside the US, so he obviously wanted the opportunity to play high level basketball in the US. He’s doing that and getting an education as well.

 

[pimo1]

We just beat a Gators team that only hits 7 3s a night and rotates 4 bigs 6’9” or taller…Awaka, Aidoo, & JP did fantastic. Players are able to get better as the season goes on.

I didn't say has big post players I said dominant post play. Florida does not have that... they have some big bodies but no one is scared of them.

 

[MoCo_Vol]

Vescovi just isn’t part of the offense anymore. I’ve seen numerous opportunities for drivers to kick it out to him but, unlike years past, they don’t. Getting only 4 or 5 shots a game basically says Barnes is happy him tying up a defender who doesn’t leave him. He still plays great defense & passes very well. He lost 2 or 3 assists today with guys missing or getting layups blocked.

He had just 2 bad plays where he tried to finish at the rim despite Florida having numbers. Otherwise I think he’s accepted that he will rarely get 10 shots up a game like the last 2 seasons.

 

[VolGee4]

SV is all out of sync. I don’t know what’s up with him. Even that last free throw missed big time

Not as many reps can affect your rhythm. But he’s doing other things to help the team win.

 

[walkenvol]

Honestly as long as JJJ & Santi keep playing well everywhere else I’m not worried about their points. BOTH of them came back to win. Neither returned to pad stats or work on something for the draft.

I love both players, JJJ isn’t getting drafted but may work his way onto a NBA roster with his size & skill set. Santi could have never came to TN and went pro outside the US, so he obviously wanted the opportunity to play high level basketball in the US. He’s doing that and getting an education as well.

I’m not worried about it for SV personally, it’s for our team that concerns me. We can’t expect DK to dominate every game

 

[MoCo_Vol]

I didn't say has big post players I said dominant post play. Florida does not have that... they have some big bodies but no one is scared of them.

Samuel is 19th in the SEC in PPG, 1st in FG% in the SEC, & 2nd in the SEC in rebounds per game.

Only 1 big in the SEC is scoring more per game with 5+ games played.

 

[Score50]

Where’s ZZ going…not the NBA at his size.

Agreed.