bleedingTNorange
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1. Vols are 12-4(3-2), projected as a 6 seed or better by just about everyone, ranked in the Top 25 and have a RPI inside of 15...every single one of us preseason would have taken that start and if you say you wouldnt have youre lying. When we started conference play most said 3-3 would be a success and 4-2 would really be gravy...well 3-3 is guaranteed and 4-2 is on the table with a big road game upcoming.
2. This team has a chance to really make some noise over these next 6 games, you build a NCAA resume by winning road games and the Vols have 3 winnable road games in their next 6.
@Missouri
@South Carolina
Vanderbilt
@Iowa State
LSU
Ole Miss
Right now the Vols are favored in all of those games except the first one at Missouri, if the Vols can find a way to go 4-2 over those 6 they are going to be sitting in VERY good shape.
3. Through our first 16 games we have played 7 games against KenPom Top 50 teams, we are 3-4 in those games. Of our remaining 14 games we only play 2 games against current KenPom Top 50 teams (Missouri & Kentucky), so we have definitely made it through the gauntlet part of our schedule and done so rather well. So do we stay true to form and beat every non-top 50 KP team remaining on our schedule and finish the year 24-6(14-4)? I highly doubt it, but I definitely think this team can finish the year with 20+ wins which would have them dancing in Rick Barnes 3rd year.
4. We need Kyle Alexander to step up, Im not sure how to push the button on him but he has the ability along with Jordan Bone to take this team to another level. In conference play he is shooting 92% from the field and 78% from the line, he has to gain a little more confidence in himself and really take that next step...if he can give us 28-30 minutes 12&9 a night consistently we reach a whole different level.
5. Jordan Bone & Jordan Bowden are also off to very strong start to conference play, it would appear Bone has turned the corner, he just needs to keep it up. We need Bowden to continue to play aggressively and hunt his shot, if Bone/Bowden/Alexander are all threats that will make Schofield and Williams that much more effective and better.
6. What was our success early on was our defense, we have recently gotten away from it especially in our first 2 SEC losses...weve looked a little better in the last few but still not where we were in our OOC slate. With that said our offense has looked better, are we able to have the defense from OOC and offense from conference play and put it all together? Rick Barnes has said this team can be better, much better, that is what is exciting is that this season could still turn in a lot of different directions. Up to this point Barnes has pressed just about all the right buttons and its hard to really question anything through 16 games, can he do the same over these final 14? At this point it would pretty much take a complete collapse to miss the dance, does that happen? Does the team limp into the dance? Or do they build off their strong start and play the last 5 games of the season and SECT for seeding? The last few years Ive had to make bubble watch threads and root for teams to lose hoping wed win enough to sneak in, I would love this year to make a seed watch thread where we were watching games that would impact our seed and not simply if we do or dont make tourney!
GBO
2. This team has a chance to really make some noise over these next 6 games, you build a NCAA resume by winning road games and the Vols have 3 winnable road games in their next 6.
@Missouri
@South Carolina
Vanderbilt
@Iowa State
LSU
Ole Miss
Right now the Vols are favored in all of those games except the first one at Missouri, if the Vols can find a way to go 4-2 over those 6 they are going to be sitting in VERY good shape.
3. Through our first 16 games we have played 7 games against KenPom Top 50 teams, we are 3-4 in those games. Of our remaining 14 games we only play 2 games against current KenPom Top 50 teams (Missouri & Kentucky), so we have definitely made it through the gauntlet part of our schedule and done so rather well. So do we stay true to form and beat every non-top 50 KP team remaining on our schedule and finish the year 24-6(14-4)? I highly doubt it, but I definitely think this team can finish the year with 20+ wins which would have them dancing in Rick Barnes 3rd year.
4. We need Kyle Alexander to step up, Im not sure how to push the button on him but he has the ability along with Jordan Bone to take this team to another level. In conference play he is shooting 92% from the field and 78% from the line, he has to gain a little more confidence in himself and really take that next step...if he can give us 28-30 minutes 12&9 a night consistently we reach a whole different level.
5. Jordan Bone & Jordan Bowden are also off to very strong start to conference play, it would appear Bone has turned the corner, he just needs to keep it up. We need Bowden to continue to play aggressively and hunt his shot, if Bone/Bowden/Alexander are all threats that will make Schofield and Williams that much more effective and better.
6. What was our success early on was our defense, we have recently gotten away from it especially in our first 2 SEC losses...weve looked a little better in the last few but still not where we were in our OOC slate. With that said our offense has looked better, are we able to have the defense from OOC and offense from conference play and put it all together? Rick Barnes has said this team can be better, much better, that is what is exciting is that this season could still turn in a lot of different directions. Up to this point Barnes has pressed just about all the right buttons and its hard to really question anything through 16 games, can he do the same over these final 14? At this point it would pretty much take a complete collapse to miss the dance, does that happen? Does the team limp into the dance? Or do they build off their strong start and play the last 5 games of the season and SECT for seeding? The last few years Ive had to make bubble watch threads and root for teams to lose hoping wed win enough to sneak in, I would love this year to make a seed watch thread where we were watching games that would impact our seed and not simply if we do or dont make tourney!
GBO
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