Gamecocks eating chicken sammiches. Cannibals!Correct. If the visiting team misses two consecutive free throws with 8 minutes or less to go in the game, everyone in attendance can use their ticket stub to claim a free sandwich at any Columbia area Chick-Fil-A.
Unfortunately, I have to be back at work in Murrells Inlet on the coast by late morning tomorrow, so my husband and I will miss out on our free sandwiches. We’re heading east on I-20 pretty early. So sad! But I think we’ll be just fine savoring the sweet taste of victory!
Add ons1. As I thought about this game I saw a lot of possible scenarios and outcomes, but I have to admit, I did not see a 22 point win coming. Throw in the fact that Jordan Bowden DNP, and that we essentially got nothing from Kyle Alexander and I really wouldn’t have predicted that score, what a performance by our Vols on the road.
2. I can go a few of different ways with my first individual compliments, but I’m going Jordan Bone. Schofield and Williams ended up with nice nights (more on that in a minute), but from the opening tip Jordan Bone was really engaged and just absolutely dominate with his speed. He was able to get into the lane anytime that he wanted to and if guys finished a little better he would’ve had at least 12+ assists tonight, he was absolutely amazing out there. Finished with 19pts 9ast 5rbds, as Tennessee continues their run this season he’s going to get more and more national attention, it has already increased but as more people watch Tennessee they’re going to quickly realize Jordan Bone is one of the best PG’s in the country.
3. Grant gives you 23&9 and Admiral gives you 24&9, both guys had very good games and while I don’t think we got a friendly whistle at all those 2 played through the physicality and were very effective. Credit to admiral for not sitting on the perimeter, yes he took some 3 balls but he also got inside as well and didn’t become one dimensional...those outside shots will absolutely start falling again, but even if they don’t tonight shows he can score multiple ways.
4. That might have been our best offensive showing of the year, we routinely got what we wanted and for the most part we took the shots that our guys hit at a high rate. I haven’t seen the final numbers but if that isn’t our best offensive showing of the year it will be very close, and we actually missed more free throws than we typically do (I’m looking at you Walker). Defensively it was about an average showing for us, Silva lived at the free throw line and it sure looked like SC was getting a favorable whistle in the post, but for the most part our defense was good.
5. I always try to find a negative, on the team front that was a really good all around effort, we outrebounded someone so that’s great...I mentioned free throws above but if you remove Walker’s free throws we shoot 75% and that looks a lot better. So I’m gonna look individually, Kyle Alexander has got to do better than that, he fouled out in 12 minutes last game and tonight he fouled out in 10 minutes, that is absolutely humiliating. Point blank there’s a drop off from Alexander to Fulk or Walker, this team is at its best when Kyle can give us 25-30 minutes, he’s a senior and has to play better than that.
6. Alright, weeks ago I mentioned was it possible to make it to Rupp sitting at 23-1? Tonight’s game was one of the tougher ones on paper and the Vols rolled, now they go to A&M on Saturday before coming home for what should be 3 sold out games against 3 teams they’ve already beaten on the road. Can the Vols do it? Get to 23-1(11-0) before they head to Lexington to face a Kentucky team that very well could be Top 5 or better come that time? Talk about national spotlight, what an atmosphere that will be and opportunity, it’s fun to look ahead and as fans we can do that, but still 4 more to go!
GBO!!!
Actually 64% of Shows whistles have gone against TN in the past 3 seasons. The only other team he hates more is KY. Hopefully we get in in LexingtonTonight, iirc, he scored Shows 13 against TN and 9 in favor of TN. First half he was very biased against TN with his whistle. 9-4 against TN. 2nd half actually 5-4 in TN's favor. Almost every TN game he's called his totals have favored the opponent.
He also cited how frequently he calls fouls on Grant.
Lots of missed calls as well.
I actually thought our backup bigs played well this game. Fulk wore down their big men with his speed and got a few rebounds (one that didn’t count as a rebound for him but the fight caused it to go off Silva) and Walker played great defense. They each had a few mistakes (Fulk not catching one long ball and passing it where a cutter used to be and Walker with the FTs), but I thought they won their matchups more often than not considering the way the game was called for Silva (you can take this as I thought they won against SC’s center on the court when it wasn’t Silva).Kyle Alexander has been "just a guy" far too often, lately. The dropoff from him to Fulkerson is staggering. He has to keep himself on the court, and the past two games, he has looked like an undisciplined freshman instead of an experienced senior team leader. He is killing his team by being on the bench. Past two games; 10 fouls in like, 22 minutes. That's pathetic.
Bone is so good. He just does whatever he wants, and the game moves so slow for him now. Second game in a row he has tried to get too cute on a pass, but that is nitpicking. His shot has really improved. Still a little flat at times, but it is going in. Shooting 39% from 3 since the Memphis game.
Williams and Schofield are the kind of pairing that championship teams ride. Fortunately, we have guys like Bone, Bowden, Turner, Alexander to mitigate any time one of the other two are struggling.
What about the time they swallow their whistle on obvious shot clock violations and allow a break out for South Carolina? How do they count those?
Fulk tripped on that one. It should have been another slam.I actually thought our backup bigs played well this game. Fulk wore down their big men with his speed and got a few rebounds (one that didn’t count as a rebound for him but the fight caused it to go off Silva) and Walker played great defense. They each had a few mistakes (Fulk not catching one long ball and passing it where a cutter used to be and Walker with the FTs), but I thought they won their matchups more often than not considering the way the game was called for Silva (you can take this as I thought they won against SC’s center on the court when it wasn’t Silva).
I was at the game, and heard lots of SC fans complaining about calls not going their way. I know this is somewhat typical of home fans, but we had more fouls than them for the majority of the game.
The crowd loved it when Walker missed both of his free throws in the second half. There had previously been an announcement that everyone would receive a free chicken sandwich from Chik-Fil-A if someone from the opposing team missed both free throws from that point on. I laughed after he missed the 2nd and the crowd erupted...… it was a small win for the fans there.
I rarely mention it and chalk it up to rooting bias, but we know that GW draws a ton of fouls each game, yet tonight he didn’t get hardly any calls and seemingly anytime anyone got near Silva there was a call. In their defense if they didn’t call it that way we may have won by 30, so maybe they were trying to keep it competitive.
The crowd loved it when Walker missed both of his free throws in the second half. There had previously been an announcement that everyone would receive a free chicken sandwich from Chik-Fil-A if someone from the opposing team missed both free throws from that point on. I laughed after he missed the 2nd and the crowd erupted...… it was a small win for the fans there.