cncchris33
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1. Great to get a win at home on opening night for the Vols at home and Tyndall's forst home game. However, this game is an example of why those with the most positive mindsets need to temper expectations, at least until January. Offensively, that Tennessee basketball team lpoked like a lost ball in high weeds for much of the game, and nearly the entire first half. Maybe it is these week-long layovers between games that isn't allowing them to get in the flow, but I saw a lot of dribbling 30-35 feet from the basket, and no real urgency to get the ball inside the three-point arc for large portions of the shot clock. Sound familiar?
2. Continuing with the offensive woes, 7 assists on 25 made baskets is pretty awful. A product of no real PG most likely, but that is bad. By contrast, TSU had 13 assists on 18 made baskets. I can't help but wonder what an elite PG would mean to this team with Punter and JRich on either side of him.
3. We won nearly every facet of the game, FG%, 3-point %, FT%, TO battle, REB battle, steals, blocks, and only managed a 12-point win. Not real sure how to explain that other than we did give them several second-chance points and they seemed to win most every 50-50 ball.
4. Defensively, there were some breakdowns, but the press looked good again, and the halfcourt defense looked smothering at times. 17 steals in two games is impressive. I do wish it had led to more fast break points last night. Perhaps it was an anomally, but last night at least, it felt like our defense may be ahead of our offense at this point (sans the breakdowns), which I find surprising.
5. MVP goes to...JRich. If there is a prettier mid-range game in America, I'd have to see it. That guy makes more 12-15 foot jumpers/floaters than anyone I ever remember at Tennessee, and he makes it look so easy. 19 pts, 8 rebs, 2 assts, 2stls, 0 TOs. Player o' the Game for my money. He can do it all.
6. LVP...Armani Moore. Probably an unpopular choice, and I want to commend him for his defense and rebounding. Having said that, through one full game and 30 of last night's game, he has been awful offensively. 3-9 from the field and 2-7 from the line against VCU, and through 30 minutes last night, he was 0-6 from the field. Thank God for his offensive spurt in the final 10 minutes. Last year, Armani could get by on hustle, defense, & rebounding. But, if he is going to average 10.5 FG attempts per game this year, then he has to be more consistent. This team needs his offense and he needs to be more efficient in providing it. Really needs to improve at the FT line too. 3-11 through 2 games. His stat line from last night looks good across the board, but if you watched the game, then you know every bit of his offense came in the last 10 minutes. Maybe he was working through a slump, and he found his way out. Let's hope so because we need him offensively this year in addition to his trademark hustle and rebounding.
7. Robert Hubbs looks like a defeated player right now. His body language says it all. If he decided to transfer, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised. The light just isn't going on for him. Only played 7 minutes last night, and just never got going. He looks like he is miserable too every time he heads to the bench. 2 pts, 2 rebs, 1 asst, 3 fouls in 7 minutes.
8. Speaking of fouls, we foul WAAAAY too much, and it seems through two games, that many tend to be a product of not moving our feet. Their were several reach fouls too, and a couple bad calls, but we have to learn to establish better position and play defense without fouling. We played great defense for 30+ seconds at times last night, and bailed TSU out with a cheap reach-in or block.
9. Willie Carmichael came on last night like many of us imagined he would. He probably did the best job of any of our players in terms of boxing out on missed shots, and he seems to have a physicality that endears him to fans. He needs to continue to gain weight, but I like what I saw. Seems like a longer version of Armani Moore. Loved his hustle on that posterizing block on the dunk attempt in the first half.
10. An uninspiring win vs a team they should have handled by 20+. Some new guys regressed a little, and some stepped up. Same with the vets. A bit ofa mixed bag when contrasted with the VCU game. I think it could remain that way until CDT settles on a 9-man rotation. Woodson didn't play with a hand injury, so, when healthy, he is going to take some minutes from Owens and/or McGhee and Reese if Carmichael continues to play like he did last night.
Extra Nugget: TSU's Chris Thomas is a former 5*, top-20 player who named Tennessee his leader as a HS sophomore when Pearl was coaching. For several reasons, his career has taken a rocky road that has led him to Nebraska, Marshall, and now TSU. A shame, because he has worlds of talent. Scored 11 in the 1st half last night and then went scoreless in the 2nd and was clearly frustrated.
2. Continuing with the offensive woes, 7 assists on 25 made baskets is pretty awful. A product of no real PG most likely, but that is bad. By contrast, TSU had 13 assists on 18 made baskets. I can't help but wonder what an elite PG would mean to this team with Punter and JRich on either side of him.
3. We won nearly every facet of the game, FG%, 3-point %, FT%, TO battle, REB battle, steals, blocks, and only managed a 12-point win. Not real sure how to explain that other than we did give them several second-chance points and they seemed to win most every 50-50 ball.
4. Defensively, there were some breakdowns, but the press looked good again, and the halfcourt defense looked smothering at times. 17 steals in two games is impressive. I do wish it had led to more fast break points last night. Perhaps it was an anomally, but last night at least, it felt like our defense may be ahead of our offense at this point (sans the breakdowns), which I find surprising.
5. MVP goes to...JRich. If there is a prettier mid-range game in America, I'd have to see it. That guy makes more 12-15 foot jumpers/floaters than anyone I ever remember at Tennessee, and he makes it look so easy. 19 pts, 8 rebs, 2 assts, 2stls, 0 TOs. Player o' the Game for my money. He can do it all.
6. LVP...Armani Moore. Probably an unpopular choice, and I want to commend him for his defense and rebounding. Having said that, through one full game and 30 of last night's game, he has been awful offensively. 3-9 from the field and 2-7 from the line against VCU, and through 30 minutes last night, he was 0-6 from the field. Thank God for his offensive spurt in the final 10 minutes. Last year, Armani could get by on hustle, defense, & rebounding. But, if he is going to average 10.5 FG attempts per game this year, then he has to be more consistent. This team needs his offense and he needs to be more efficient in providing it. Really needs to improve at the FT line too. 3-11 through 2 games. His stat line from last night looks good across the board, but if you watched the game, then you know every bit of his offense came in the last 10 minutes. Maybe he was working through a slump, and he found his way out. Let's hope so because we need him offensively this year in addition to his trademark hustle and rebounding.
7. Robert Hubbs looks like a defeated player right now. His body language says it all. If he decided to transfer, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised. The light just isn't going on for him. Only played 7 minutes last night, and just never got going. He looks like he is miserable too every time he heads to the bench. 2 pts, 2 rebs, 1 asst, 3 fouls in 7 minutes.
8. Speaking of fouls, we foul WAAAAY too much, and it seems through two games, that many tend to be a product of not moving our feet. Their were several reach fouls too, and a couple bad calls, but we have to learn to establish better position and play defense without fouling. We played great defense for 30+ seconds at times last night, and bailed TSU out with a cheap reach-in or block.
9. Willie Carmichael came on last night like many of us imagined he would. He probably did the best job of any of our players in terms of boxing out on missed shots, and he seems to have a physicality that endears him to fans. He needs to continue to gain weight, but I like what I saw. Seems like a longer version of Armani Moore. Loved his hustle on that posterizing block on the dunk attempt in the first half.
10. An uninspiring win vs a team they should have handled by 20+. Some new guys regressed a little, and some stepped up. Same with the vets. A bit ofa mixed bag when contrasted with the VCU game. I think it could remain that way until CDT settles on a 9-man rotation. Woodson didn't play with a hand injury, so, when healthy, he is going to take some minutes from Owens and/or McGhee and Reese if Carmichael continues to play like he did last night.
Extra Nugget: TSU's Chris Thomas is a former 5*, top-20 player who named Tennessee his leader as a HS sophomore when Pearl was coaching. For several reasons, his career has taken a rocky road that has led him to Nebraska, Marshall, and now TSU. A shame, because he has worlds of talent. Scored 11 in the 1st half last night and then went scoreless in the 2nd and was clearly frustrated.