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1. A very nice, dominating win for Tennessee. I knew Tennessee was better but I did not expect such a dominating performance from start to finish for this Vols team. People hate moral losses but there is such a thing as confidence from losses and the losses to Wisconsin and Oregon have really bolstered this young team. They looked in control from the beginning.
2. How about this for Tennessee: Grant Williams and John Fulkerson just played their sixth college basketball game and against a Power 5 conference team in Georgia Tech put up a combined 11-20 for 26 points and 14 rebounds. Imagine what these two will look like as juniors. Although six turnovers from Williams is not ideal by any stretch.
3. I thought Tennessee's guards did a great job not falling for all the defensive tricks that Pastner tried to pull out. No matter what kind of zone you run, you attack them all the same way. Penetrate, dish and move. Then you hit the high post, cut to the basket, and spot in the corners. Tennessee did that consistently and that's why they shot 50% from the field.
4. Excellent game from Lew Evans and with Admiral Schofield's suspension he becomes a bigger part of this team. He's a good passer in the middle of the floor and I thought he brought an intensity on defensive that this team needs from a veteran like Evans.
5. I can't always be positive and 16 turnovers is way too much. It got sloppy at the end and UT has to learn to tighten that ship up when they have a lead.
6. I think the half court offense is improving but I want to see more straight middle of the floor PNR. I like the motion and cuts but I think UT is not keeping it simple enough. A guy like Lamonte Turner, Kwe Parker and even Robert Hubbs can create on the PNR and with shooters like Phillips/Bowden/Mostella spotting up (along with some combination of Williams/Evans/Schofield at the 4) we need to let the lead guards create and attack more off PNR.
7. The Bernard King Player of the Game: Shembari Philips. I've been a big fan of Shembari Phillips for awhile and that stretch when he took over Kevin Punter last year changed the upside of his career. He got lost in the point guard shuffle with all the freshman and he's the best one Tennessee has right now. Basketball is becoming a specialist league and you definitely want guys that fill certain roles. Hoewever there's nothing wrong with a good shooter, ball handler, defender, and improving passer.I've made the comparison before but his career reminds me so much of the trajectory that Josh Richardson's career took.
8. I will say this about Rick Barnes' recruiting profile since he's been at Tennessee. If you don't have a heart to play defense, you won't come to Tennessee. All the freshman fly around like madmen to play defense and so does Barnes' second year guys. Turner is underrated at a defender, Kwe Parker is going to be something special there, and Alexander/Fulkerson are going to block shots like I block political posts on my twitter feed. Barnes always had very good defensive teams at Texas and I think that will continue at Tennessee.
9. I haven't really commented much on the suspension of Admiral Schofield because I don't know what happened but I want to clarify a post I made that I think got interpreted as something that went around the board as a rumor and even some took as fact. When Admiral was originally suspended after playing the first game at the Maui Tournament I made a comment saying something to the effect of that the suspension sounded like he missed a curfew since he played the first game and was suspend the next day. I was just speculating out of curiosity. I apologize to people if they took my post to mean that he did miss curfew and that was his suspension because I do not know why Admiral is suspended. That was not my intent and I should not have made that post and again I apologize for that. As a mod and someone who spends a lot of time in this forum. I have to understand my posts have more merit when I make comments like that and I did not mean to lead anybody on regarding that issue. I hope Admiral and Barnes can reconcile because Admiral is very talented and can do really well at Tennessee. Hopefully this will be a turning point for him.
10. Every time I watch this team I become a little bit more of a believer in Rick Barnes because if everything goes as planned I can't imagine this team not being a top 20 team in 2018. So much talent at the guard position and athleticism/skill at the post positions. I love watching their hustle on defense and there seems to be an offensive plan. I want to see more three pointers and on ball screens but this was a good step. Sure Georgia Tech isn't a tournament team but to drill a Power 5 team like that is a very positive sign. Great job by the coaching staff today!
2. How about this for Tennessee: Grant Williams and John Fulkerson just played their sixth college basketball game and against a Power 5 conference team in Georgia Tech put up a combined 11-20 for 26 points and 14 rebounds. Imagine what these two will look like as juniors. Although six turnovers from Williams is not ideal by any stretch.
3. I thought Tennessee's guards did a great job not falling for all the defensive tricks that Pastner tried to pull out. No matter what kind of zone you run, you attack them all the same way. Penetrate, dish and move. Then you hit the high post, cut to the basket, and spot in the corners. Tennessee did that consistently and that's why they shot 50% from the field.
4. Excellent game from Lew Evans and with Admiral Schofield's suspension he becomes a bigger part of this team. He's a good passer in the middle of the floor and I thought he brought an intensity on defensive that this team needs from a veteran like Evans.
5. I can't always be positive and 16 turnovers is way too much. It got sloppy at the end and UT has to learn to tighten that ship up when they have a lead.
6. I think the half court offense is improving but I want to see more straight middle of the floor PNR. I like the motion and cuts but I think UT is not keeping it simple enough. A guy like Lamonte Turner, Kwe Parker and even Robert Hubbs can create on the PNR and with shooters like Phillips/Bowden/Mostella spotting up (along with some combination of Williams/Evans/Schofield at the 4) we need to let the lead guards create and attack more off PNR.
7. The Bernard King Player of the Game: Shembari Philips. I've been a big fan of Shembari Phillips for awhile and that stretch when he took over Kevin Punter last year changed the upside of his career. He got lost in the point guard shuffle with all the freshman and he's the best one Tennessee has right now. Basketball is becoming a specialist league and you definitely want guys that fill certain roles. Hoewever there's nothing wrong with a good shooter, ball handler, defender, and improving passer.I've made the comparison before but his career reminds me so much of the trajectory that Josh Richardson's career took.
8. I will say this about Rick Barnes' recruiting profile since he's been at Tennessee. If you don't have a heart to play defense, you won't come to Tennessee. All the freshman fly around like madmen to play defense and so does Barnes' second year guys. Turner is underrated at a defender, Kwe Parker is going to be something special there, and Alexander/Fulkerson are going to block shots like I block political posts on my twitter feed. Barnes always had very good defensive teams at Texas and I think that will continue at Tennessee.
9. I haven't really commented much on the suspension of Admiral Schofield because I don't know what happened but I want to clarify a post I made that I think got interpreted as something that went around the board as a rumor and even some took as fact. When Admiral was originally suspended after playing the first game at the Maui Tournament I made a comment saying something to the effect of that the suspension sounded like he missed a curfew since he played the first game and was suspend the next day. I was just speculating out of curiosity. I apologize to people if they took my post to mean that he did miss curfew and that was his suspension because I do not know why Admiral is suspended. That was not my intent and I should not have made that post and again I apologize for that. As a mod and someone who spends a lot of time in this forum. I have to understand my posts have more merit when I make comments like that and I did not mean to lead anybody on regarding that issue. I hope Admiral and Barnes can reconcile because Admiral is very talented and can do really well at Tennessee. Hopefully this will be a turning point for him.
10. Every time I watch this team I become a little bit more of a believer in Rick Barnes because if everything goes as planned I can't imagine this team not being a top 20 team in 2018. So much talent at the guard position and athleticism/skill at the post positions. I love watching their hustle on defense and there seems to be an offensive plan. I want to see more three pointers and on ball screens but this was a good step. Sure Georgia Tech isn't a tournament team but to drill a Power 5 team like that is a very positive sign. Great job by the coaching staff today!
