The Ole Miss game was Tennessee basketball.

[WhenUrVolUrVFL]

We are elite. Not just good.

We are ELITE.

What we saw was a preview of what this team can and will be.

What I saw was tremendous ball movement, unselfish play, improved shooting, interior dominance, lockdown defense.

Mashack & Aidoo for the game ball.

Ziegler played excellent. Slashing. Cutting. Dishing. Hitting 3s.

Vescovi was making plays hitting 3s.

James was productive, active, and aggressive.

Aidoo was incredible. Mobile. Dominant. Accurate.

Awaka played productive minutes.

Last but of course not lease—Dalton Knecht. This dude is the real deal. He’s learning to fit within the system and I think he’s gonna have some incredible performances on the way to a SEC championship.

This team hasn’t even started playing it’s best basketball.

 

[HighWaterVol]

I agree. Very special team. Sky is the limit!

 

[tennrich1]

We are elite. Not just good.

We are ELITE.

What we saw was a preview of what this team can and will be.

What I saw was tremendous ball movement, unselfish play, improved shooting, interior dominance, lockdown defense.

Mashack & Aidoo for the game ball.

Ziegler played excellent. Slashing. Cutting. Dishing. Hitting 3s.

Vescovi was making plays hitting 3s.

James was productive, active, and aggressive.

Aidoo was incredible. Mobile. Dominant. Accurate.

Awaka played productive minutes.

Last but of course not lease—Dalton Knecht. This dude is the real deal. He’s learning to fit within the system and I think he’s gonna have some incredible performances on the way to a SEC championship.

This team hasn’t even started playing it’s best basketball.

Offensive rebounding was unbelievable!

 

[ColinS]

We are elite. Not just good.

We are ELITE.

What we saw was a preview of what this team can and will be.

What I saw was tremendous ball movement, unselfish play, improved shooting, interior dominance, lockdown defense.

Mashack & Aidoo for the game ball.

Ziegler played excellent. Slashing. Cutting. Dishing. Hitting 3s.

Vescovi was making plays hitting 3s.

James was productive, active, and aggressive.

Aidoo was incredible. Mobile. Dominant. Accurate.

Awaka played productive minutes.

Last but of course not lease—Dalton Knecht. This dude is the real deal. He’s learning to fit within the system and I think he’s gonna have some incredible performances on the way to a SEC championship.

This team hasn’t even started playing it’s best basketball.

It was a nice win and the best game we have played all year. We played like a complete team. It's not time to annoint anybody yet though. On to the next one.

 

[TNRazor]

We are elite. Not just good.

We are ELITE.

What we saw was a preview of what this team can and will be.

What I saw was tremendous ball movement, unselfish play, improved shooting, interior dominance, lockdown defense.

Mashack & Aidoo for the game ball.

Ziegler played excellent. Slashing. Cutting. Dishing. Hitting 3s.

Vescovi was making plays hitting 3s.

James was productive, active, and aggressive.

Aidoo was incredible. Mobile. Dominant. Accurate.

Awaka played productive minutes.

Last but of course not lease—Dalton Knecht. This dude is the real deal. He’s learning to fit within the system and I think he’s gonna have some incredible performances on the way to a SEC championship.

This team hasn’t even started playing it’s best basketball.

We're elite for now. I want to see this type of play in March and even April

 

[njvols]

If we played any of the three teams we lost to this season right now, we'd win at least a couple of them. ZZ getting dialed in is the key. You can tell he makes other team's guards very uncomfortable when he's guarding them. Mashack is such a weapon...if he continues to develop his shot, I think he could get into the second round of draft. Love the paint points...Barnes teams always at their best when things flow inside-out. KY matchup will be interesting...strength vs strength but OM came in living off the 3 and we shut that down w/ no easy looks.

 

[WhenUrVolUrVFL]

If we played any of the three teams we lost to this season right now, we'd win at least a couple of them. ZZ getting dialed in is the key. You can tell he makes other team's guards very uncomfortable when he's guarding them. Mashack is such a weapon...if he continues to develop his shot, I think he could get into the second round of draft. Love the paint points...Barnes teams always at their best when things flow inside-out. KY matchup will be interesting...strength vs strength but OM came in living off the 3 and we shut that down w/ no easy looks.

I watched the Kentucky Florida game, and Kentucky was outplayed the entire game. Of course got some suspect officiating to pull them back into it…..I think Auburn will be a test as well.

 

[VAWL FAN]

We are elite. Not just good.

We are ELITE.

What we saw was a preview of what this team can and will be.

What I saw was tremendous ball movement, unselfish play, improved shooting, interior dominance, lockdown defense.

Mashack & Aidoo for the game ball.

Ziegler played excellent. Slashing. Cutting. Dishing. Hitting 3s.

Vescovi was making plays hitting 3s.

James was productive, active, and aggressive.

Aidoo was incredible. Mobile. Dominant. Accurate.

Awaka played productive minutes.

Last but of course not lease—Dalton Knecht. This dude is the real deal. He’s learning to fit within the system and I think he’s gonna have some incredible performances on the way to a SEC championship.

This team hasn’t even started playing it’s best basketball.

Loved the ways the guys were still scrapping at the end while up nearly 30 points.Good sign imo.

 

[Hank Bukowski]

We are elite. Not just good.

We are ELITE.

What we saw was a preview of what this team can and will be.

What I saw was tremendous ball movement, unselfish play, improved shooting, interior dominance, lockdown defense.

Mashack & Aidoo for the game ball.

Ziegler played excellent. Slashing. Cutting. Dishing. Hitting 3s.

Vescovi was making plays hitting 3s.

James was productive, active, and aggressive.

Aidoo was incredible. Mobile. Dominant. Accurate.

Awaka played productive minutes.

Last but of course not lease—Dalton Knecht. This dude is the real deal. He’s learning to fit within the system and I think he’s gonna have some incredible performances on the way to a SEC championship.

This team hasn’t even started playing it’s best basketball.

I surely hope we haven’t started to play our best basketball. We need that in March. I’m not sure I can handle another non-show in the tourney, especially with the talent this team has.

 

[cardvolfan]

I surely hope we haven’t started to play our best basketball. We need that in March. I’m not sure I can handle another non-show in the tourney, especially with the talent this team has.

Non-show in the tourney, like last year?

 

[esarmstrong]

Dalton Knecht hasn't been the same offensive scoring machine that he was before the North Carolina game. Maybe it has something to to with lasting effects of his injury in that game; or more likely it is simply a case of other teams taking notice and accounting for him in their game planning. But the overall impact appears to be that this is making for more scoring opportunities for his teammates.

 

[Special Ed]

If you're going to mention Zeigler, could you please spell his name correctly?
He deserves at least that much respect.

 

[Chad F]

We’ve seen this before: playing like champions in Jan/Feb and then like chumps in the Tournaments. Hopefully, they can sustain.

This team just seems to be rock solid in just about every way. I was at the NC State game and despite playing down to the opponent, the Vols never looked like the outcome was in doubt.

Need to peak at the right time. Go Vols!

 

[The Dog]

If you're going to mention Zeigler, could you at least spell his name correctly?
He deserves at least that much respect.

I said the same thing. IIrc, his Z is messed up on his computer keyboard

 

[jeff1vol]

I hope the 2nd half was TENNESSEE. That 1st half brick fest was hard to watch for a bit. Got hot the last 2 mins on.

 

[walkenvol]

I hope the 2nd half was TENNESSEE. That 1st half brick fest was hard to watch for a bit. Got hot the last 2 mins on.

Wished everyone could appreciate the suffocating D we clamped on Ole Miss to start the game where they didn’t seem to get any decent looks. Also our ball movement leading to great open looks for us. We played fantastic ball in every phase, except the shots didn’t fall. But, they kept grinding till those shots did start falling - that’s great basketball IMO.

 

[WhenUrVolUrVFL]

If you're going to mention Zeigler, could you at least spell his name correctly?
He deserves at least that much respect.

Over/under on the divorces you’ll be part of is 2.5.

 

[Hank Bukowski]

Non-show in the tourney, like last year?

Yes. Absolutely. A number 4 seed ousted in the sweet 16 is not good enough for me. One appearance in the elite eight in the program’s entire history is not good enough for me. Having the sweet 16 as our program’s historical high-water mark in the NCAA tournament is not good enough for me.

And I’m certain it’s not good enough for Coach Barnes and all our players and staff either. I’m 100 percent behind Coach Barnes. Let’s hope he gets it figured out this year. This could be his best team at Tennessee.

 

[Col_Cathcart]

I said the same thing. IIrc, his Z is messed up on his computer keyboard

Been that way for a long time. Really should get that fixed.

 

[sami]

This group is certainly elite defensively and rebounding-wise, and will always be able to play with anyone in the country. My only wish is for Barnes & Co. to come up with ways to avoid the shooting droughts that have killed us in big tournament games, and even hurt us in the 1st half tonight.

Living and dying with the 3-ball based motion offense is great when shots are falling, but there has to be an alternative when they aren't. Tonight it was pounding the ball to Aidoo and Awaka, which opened things up big time in the 2nd half. I'd love to see more P&R and DHO type actions to free up Knecht and give him some open looks. We used the P&R effectively with Aidoo as the roll man in the 2nd half, and it blew the game open along with our offensive rebounding.

This group is as good as anyone in the country, but I don't believe that Barnes has had an offensive weapon like Knecht since he's been here. They need to find ways to get him going when those droughts hit. Just my opinion.

 

[cardvolfan]

Yes. Absolutely. A number 4 seed ousted in the sweet 16 is not good enough for me. One appearance in the elite eight in the program’s entire history is not good enough for me. Having the sweet 16 as our program’s historical high-water mark in the NCAA tournament is not good enough for me.

And I’m certain it’s not good enough for Coach Barnes and all our players and staff either. I’m 100 percent behind Coach Barnes. Let’s hope he gets it figured out this year. This could be his best team at Tennessee.

Calling a Sweet Sixteen team a “non-show” is absurd. Everyone wants a big run this year, and I’m no exception. I think you might be one who doesn’t understand the random nature of the big dance, but there are many out there.

Ive been through several really bad periods of Tennessee basketball, and believe me, you don’t want to be there. Yes, Barnes and the players would love a national championship, but tell Josiah or Santi or Tobe they were a no-show to their face and see the reaction you would get.

Have some respect. Life will treat you better.

 

[savannahfan]

One early home game a season does not make..

 

[sami]

Calling a Sweet Sixteen team a “non-show” is absurd. Everyone wants a big run this year, and I’m no exception. I think you might be one who doesn’t understand the random nature of the big dance, but there are many out there.

Ive been through several really bad periods of Tennessee basketball, and believe me, you don’t want to be there. Yes, Barnes and the players would love a national championship, but tell Josiah or Santi or Tobe they were a no-show to their face and see the reaction you would get.

Have some respect. Life will treat you better.

I love the "sweet 16's aren't good enough for me" attitude from some fans, as if they are good enough for Barnes and the players.

You're right, the tournament is incredibly random, as one bad half can send you home. The whole crapshoot deal is how teams like FAU and George Mason, who would get chewed up in the SEC meat grinder, can get to a final four.

 

[BernardKingGOAT]

I hope the 2nd half was TENNESSEE. That 1st half brick fest was hard to watch for a bit. Got hot the last 2 mins on.

Of course they can't play at that high of a level all the time, but we can see the ceiling might be higher this year than ever before in our history. The SEC reg season title is certainly the goal at this point

 

[cardvolfan]

I love the "sweet 16's aren't good enough for me" attitude from some fans, as if they are good enough for Barnes and the players.

You're right, the tournament is incredibly random, as one bad half can send you home. The whole crapshoot deal is how teams like FAU and George Mason, who would get chewed up in the SEC meat grinder, can get to a final four.

Exactly.