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Tennessee kicked off its conference schedule with a 68-50 thumping of LSU in Baton Rouge.
The Vols’ starting guards, Antonio Barton and Jordan McRae, combined for 33 points. They shot 11-17 from the field, including 7-10 from 3-point range, and spurred the Big Orange offense, especially in the first half.
With 7 1/2 minutes left in the first period, Tennessee went on an 18-4 run fueled by the aforementioned duo. At the break, the backcourt-pair was a combined 8-10 from the field and 6-6 from behind the 3-point arc as Tennessee’s lead ballooned to 14 points.
Though the Vols cooled down in the second half, shooting just 39 percent, the Tigers couldn’t recover. Their inability to execute against Tennessee’s half-court defense inhibited much offensive production. Yes, the Vols’ defense was good, but the Tiger’s offense was also pretty bad. Chicken –> egg. Egg –> chicken. Tennessee also kept Tiger big-man Johnny O’Bryant in check holding him to 11 points and seven rebounds.
Let’s take a look at some of the stories that developed in the house that Pistol Pete (Maravich) built.
Tennessee’s Turnovers
With new point guards transfer Barton and freshman Darius Thompson running the show, the Vols have taken care of the ball extremely well thus far this season. Going into the LSU game, Tennessee averaged just less than 10 turnovers per game, and gave it away on just 15.4 percent (good for first in the SEC and 31st in the country) of its possessions.
But in the second half of Tuesday’s game LSU employed a 1-2-1 full-court press, and it gave the Vols some difficulty. The Tigers dialed up the defensive intensity, and forced Tennessee players into tight spots and bad decisions. Coach Cuonzo Martin noted that the team needs to get back to taking better care of the basketball.
“We didn’t do a very good job of holding on to the ball, and we were too casual with our catches,” Martin said. “We’ve gotta clean that area up.”
As a team Tennessee gave the ball away a season-high 16 times, including a stretch (13:55 – 6:32) of the second half in which Tennessee turned the ball over seven times in just about seven minutes.
“They kind of trapped me,” Barton said. “But I didn’t let that get to me. I turned the ball over a few times, but I kept going and kept playing.”
Stokes led the Vols with four TOs while McRae and Barton each had three.
Jordan McRae doing Jordan McRae Things.
Jordan #McRaecrae led the Vols in scoring again, marking the 10th time he’s done so this year. He 27.9 usage rate is highest on the team, and his 60.4 TS% ranks second behind fellow wing Josh Richardson.
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McRae, the reigning SEC Payer of the Week, converted 65 percent of his two-point attempts and 56 percent of his three-point attempts over his last four games. Boy is shooting the lights out. He’s displayed a knack for getting to the rim using his length, and long, nimble arms to score around the defense. He’s picked his spots, taken good shots and made opponents pay.
Though he is the most involved player offensively for Tennessee, his efficiency hasn’t slipped. His ORtng is 126 (a mark that is good for sixth in the conference), up substantially from the 103 mark he posted last year. McRae has taken more than 20 shots in a game just once this season and leads the team in scoring at 19 points per game.
“I am just trying to do a better job of scoring points easier and finding good shots,” McRae said, following the win against LSU. “Not taking fifteen shots to do what I need to do. I am trying to find everybody and get everyone involved.”
Do or do not. There is no try. Well, McRae is doing. He’s been a stimulus for other guys posting nearly three assists per game and a 20.2 assist rate, both of which are good for second on the team and up significantly from last year’s numbers. Coming off that SEC-Player-of-the-Year caliber season, McRae has only gotten better, as a more efficient scorer and playmaker.
Birthday Bash
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Happy birthday, big fella.
Stokes was ravenous on the boards on the 20th anniversary of his birth, gobbling up rebounds like a husky kid gobbles up birthday cake. He grabbed 15 points and 15 rebounds on the way to his seventh double-double of the season and 25th of his career.
Against the Tigers, Stokes had more rebounds on the offensive glass (seven) than any other Tennessee player had altogether (next closest–Maymon and Thompson, each with five). His OR% of 15.5 is second highest in the conference and good for 21st in the country. It may not be pretty, in fact, there’s not much that is pretty about Stokes’ game, but damnit he’s effective. He’s a regular bull in the china shop; a big and burly bashing bruiser beneath the basketball goal. Haha. Okay, I’m done.
Stokes and Tennessee limited LSU’s offensive attack with stingy interior defense, making entry passes difficult. This forced bad shots, and Tennessee did its job on the defensive glass, holding the Tigers to one attempt each time down the floor. The Vols allowed just one offensive rebound for each of LSU’s three starting forwards and only 11 total for the game.
Vols Hitting Their Stride?
After drifting through losses against NC State and Wichita State, the Vols appear dialed in heading into the brunt of their SEC schedule.
UT averaged a shade more than 80 points per game while converting two-point shots and three-point shots at more than a 50-percent clip in the games since those two losses. And in the last three games, the Vols held their opponents under 40 percent shooting and below 52 points.
I don’t know if the good offense fuels the defense, or vice versa, but whatever it is works. The Vols are clicking. As we’ve discussed, punting a few non-conference games tightened Tennessee’s margin for error, but the Vols are playing loose. Texas A&M comes to town Saturday, fresh off a victory over fellow SEC West foe Arkansas. If the Vols play like they did against the Tigers, they’re in good shape.[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]