The Official Tennessee vs. #6 Alabama Game Thread, 1:00 PM ET, ESPN

[TJVol95]

Being a Tennessee fan sucks! LSU just beat the Lady Vols. Just sucks!

 

[tnvols72]

None of this is on Gaines. He made the stop and missed two FTs. Vescovi bricked two yesterday in a row. Someone who shoots like Shaq and plays 20 seconds a game is forced to tie a game in a tournament setting like that? I dont blame him at all. In addition, if we had Fulky we win this game.

I dont blame him. I just knew when he got fouled that we was in trouble. They should have left Vescovi in and switched up and let somebody else guard Jones and take that chance

 

[djohnnyg]

Well..Danny White was there in the stands to see this meltdown choke first hand. Here's your job. Beat Bama at.... something. Anything. Thanks.

 

[Delmar]

Who? JJJ has 4 fouls. Smart man.

I would rather have had JJJ on Jones at that point. If he fouls out so be it. At least you went with your best.

 

[volforlife15]

Hmmm... Keon? It’s a one point game but with <30 seconds.. it’s not likely going to OT roll with JJJ. It’s a hell of a lot smarter than plugging in a dude who is a liability and played what? 10 minutes all year. Counter point please

You don’t understand what they were doing obviously. Pretty sure Pons started on him and they used a pick to switch Gaines onto him. Really simple concept that you apparently can’t understand. They wouldn’t use Keon’s man to set the screen

 

[I4Vols]

I wouldn’t root for Will Wade if he was playing the Taliban.

Bama is the Taliban

 

[VOLnVANDYland]

It was an excellent choice to through a change up. Vescovi was getting eaten alive and Gaines gave us the stop we needed. No foul on Gaines and you are all saying Barnes is a genius. It was quick on quick and Gaines won the play he was put in to win.

Nah, disagree completely. And if Gaines is some defensive savant where has he been all year?

 

[31VFL]

I can understand the complaints about the final offensive play. I do not get the complaints about the use of Gaines. Jones was abusing us, and he made a great defensive stand. It was a lot better than watching Vescovi get beat again.

 

[vavolfan6]

What?

What are you confused about?? JJJ getting his 4th foul was monumental and essentially lost us the game. On top of all the tick tack fouls called in the beginning of the 2nd.

 

[BreatheUT]

Mention it to Barnes during the post game press conference.

Thanks.

I have a hard time believing that it won't be recommended to Gaines that he goes to a smaller program. He just doesn't have the skills. He was in for his height on defense.

 

[tnvols72]

Surprised? We came out of his final timeout and didn’t even know who was supposed to throw the ball in. CRB is not a good coach in close games

That was a horrible use of a timeout. It was a mess as soon as they came out of the timeout and was not for sure who was suppose to throw the ball in

 

[mr.checkerboards]

Who? JJJ has 4 fouls. Smart man.

On that possession you don't worry about his 5th.

 

[ColinS]

God, these ref blamers. Who let all these third graders in here. Nothing says I know nothing about basketball like blaming the refs every time you lose.

 

[C-south]

Shaq is a top 10 all time basketball player and shoots about as well as Stevie Wonder. This statement is false.

It doesn’t make it any less sad.

 

[VOLnVANDYland]

You don’t understand what they were doing obviously. Pretty sure Pons started on him and they used a pick to switch Gaines onto him. Really simple concept that you apparently can’t understand. They wouldn’t use Keon’s man to set the screen

0 shouldn’t have been in the floor period in that situation. It’s that simple. If he was getting significant minutes all game then ok you have to roll with what you have. But he was inserted in that situation for some baffling situation

 

[tnvols72]

We’ll have a star-caliber PG next season. And with the Covid transfer rules, we should be able to get an experienced quality big man to transfer in.

I know we have Chandler coming in but I am talking about right now

 

[djohnnyg]

Vescovi has no guts. Shoulda taken the shot. Instead he panicked and didn't want the responsibility.

 

[Sudden Impact]

God, these ref blamers. Who let all these third graders in here. Nothing says I know nothing about basketball like blaming the refs every time you lose.

You don't think it was a poorly officiated game?

 

[C-south]

God, these ref blamers. Who let all these third graders in here. Nothing says I know nothing about basketball like blaming the refs every time you lose.

I bet you draw up plays and mail them in to the coaches office.

 

[JRVOL11]

You know, if ticket wasn’t so weak he would’ve stayed on his feet and not got fouled .

 

[roberthunter]

Playing scared of JJJ picking up his 5th is one of the reasons we lost this game.

The point of the game is not to make sure none of your players foul out. It is to win. After his 4th foul we should have just accepted that to maximize his minutes he was going to foul out. It's fine if that happens after a certain point. Just play him and get as many minutes as he can.

 

[volforlife15]

0 shouldn’t have been in the floor period in that situation. It’s that simple. If he was getting significant minutes all game then ok you have to roll with what you have. But he was inserted in that situation for some baffling situation

Yeah he was inserted to get the exact stop that he got. Baffling

 

[orange_glory]

The 2 things Tenn needs is a big way is a PG and a big man and we have neither

Recruiting. $5 million can't figure it out.

 

[Lurker]

Nah, disagree completely. And if Gaines is some defensive savant where has he been all year?

OK to disagree. I get that. Gaines certainly isn't a "defensive savant," he's just very quick and he was an unexpected change of pace from Santi who was bleeding points and plays to their guard. It worked. Then he got fouled. Snake eyes, but a good move that just didn't work.

 

[VOLinAL]

So you’re comparing Gaines to Shaq?

No I'm saying the original statement is false. There are players who could average 20/8/4 in college and be 50% on the line. Saying someone who missed two high stress FTs who never plays shouldn't be a D1 player is absurd. We have walk ons who probably shouldn't be D1 players either. He was just put in a freak circumstance.