The Official #6 [2] Tennessee vs. #3 [1] Purdue Game Thread, 2:20 PM ET, ESPN

[LibertyVolance]

Aidoo playing his worst game of the year. Hope Barnes is able to light a fire under his butt.

Aidoo cannot play against this level of competition. How many worst games can a guy have? He can't even hold the ball when he rebounds it or someone feeds him a bounce pass. He's too slow and soft.

 

[Vols till I fall]

Rick deer in headlights

Fans like you should go cheer for Vanderbilt

 

[johnboyhunter]

Final 4 = Banner in TBA

 

[RockyTop140]

Aidoo has been awful against creighton and now in the first half of Purdue. Still hard for me to understand how he’s still so skinny.

 

[vavolfan6]

I felt better at halftime against Creighton than I do today. I felt we gave them an early knockout punch that Purdue answered with free throws/ogre dude.

I doubt Purdue is cold another half at the perimeter. We simply aren't getting any offense inside the paint and not hitting enough jump shots to force Edey to come out. Hopefully Barnes has something up his sleeve for this 2nd half..

 

[DaddyChad]

Aidoo just doesn't look confident, I'd go with Awaka as long as I could til he fouls out

Awaka has to have rest as well some. He’s played great but looked tired at one point. We really need Aidoo to step it up when he’s on the floor.

 

[ndubvols]

Preach Charles. They shouldn't be down at all. They fell asleep at the wheel

Yeup, zz had a bad stretch there with a couple turnovers and missed free throws. Cooled off a little as well as we missed some open looks. Either way, have a 2nd half game

 

[pasadenavol]

Need to get someone else involved in the offense other than Knecht

 

[Vols All Day]

It is so frustrating how Aidoo has folded under pressure this tournament. He’s been so bad. He doesn’t even look confident shooting the ball so you know it’s not going in the moment it leaves his hands.

Just infuriating. When we need an inside presence most, there is none to be found.

Barnes spent so much time trying to build him up after Maui and it just didn’t work. Barnes might have been better off trying to get JP more experience.

 

[Stoerner Fumbles]

I Wonder what flavor timeouts are? They must be pretty sweet tasting cause we eat them alot. Good half but the last 5 minutes were killer. Carry the fight!!

With a TV timeout every two minutes, why spend them?

 

[acd4476]

So you are one of the Rick Barnes doesn't know what he is doing goofs. We are in only the SECOND elite 8 in program history. Not only that, it is a TWO point halftime lead by Purdue. If they weren't protecting the Zach Edey myth, this game would not be close.

Rick should've used his TO earlier. And I'm glad he's fianlly realizing Aidoo isn't his best option at Center.

 

[VolsSportsFan]

We got this going away fellas …. We just played about as bad as you can play for the last eight minutes and are only down two - with a very manageable foul situation…. And I think we gain confidence and purdoo is going to get tighter and tighter …. And I like the refs letting us play our style.
I think Vols by 12-15 or so- last five minutes are gonna be fun !

I hope you are right. I seriously doubt it but I will gladly take your version.

 

[Volstylexx]

Zero production from Aidoo. We’re going to need one more guard step up with 8-10 points and statistically we will be in it at the final possession.

 

[The Tall Gguy]

Does anyone know what year it was the last time a foul was called on Zach Edey?

 

[BreatheUT]

I've said it before, and I will say it again that were in a good spot. I like where we are eventhough I'm upset we squandered an 11 point lead.

 

[Volbrando]

Barkley is so right. That last 5 minutes is a sequence w that can end up costing you the game.

Barnes should have called a timeout

 

[chuckb1448]

It’s mental, imo. He doesn’t recover when he comes out slow the first five min of game. Plus, the poor shooting impacts his defense and he has hands of stone.

Aidoo sucks, he dominates if we are on a Mid Major but other than that, he looks like he's moving through broken glass. He knew the projection today, to not at least show effort is ridiculous

 

[Volatile68]

Awaka is our best defender against Edey. Aidoo is just to underweight. The Miss St game showed it. Since no one is gonna say it Vescovi has got to give this team some kind of offensive punch. Hit a damn jumper dude!

Best thing Vescovi could do is sit back on the bench. He is a non factor and has been all season. Gainey and mashack should get his minutes. Even Carr would be a better option.

 

[Clad in Big Orange]

What’s the solution to the aidoo problem? Guy is nothing but a detriment at this point

Recruit a better big man

 

[johnboyhunter]

Rick deer in headlights

I bet your fun at parties

 

[ndubvols]

Need to force some turnovers. Hopefully mashack sparks something to start the half and can stay out of foul trouble

 

[acd4476]

Fans like you should go cheer for Vanderbilt

Go fall down

 

[JCP201]

He's played great so far. Offense and defense

I have no complaints on JJJ.

 

[volsack]

Awaka is our best defender against Edey. Aidoo is just to underweight. The Miss St game showed it. Since no one is gonna say it Vescovi has got to give this team some kind of offensive punch. Hit a damn jumper dude!

Disagree, Vesco is washed and hasn't been a solid contributor in a minute. We need JJJ and Mayshak to step up and hit shots

 

[cgrish]

Had lead up to 11 and then the whistles started

Actually we just stopped playing with the intensity we were playing with earlier. I have seen this a lot this year, when we get a lead against a good team, we seem to slack off.