The Official #22 Tennessee vs. South Carolina Game Thread, 6:30 PM ET, SEC Network

[Lankykong]

South Carolina is just a bad team.

I think we made them look even worse than they actually are, but yeah

 

[Zues1]

I'm thinking coach needs to spend the next couple of days shooting free throws and nothing else. Miss one the whole team runs the floor.
That's what my youth coach did. It worked pretty well.

 

[1985Vols]

I'm thinking coach needs to spend the next couple of days shooting free throws and nothing else. Miss one the whole team runs the floor.
That's what my youth coach did. It worked pretty well.

Agree, however, I think this team showed last night what kind of shooting funk they are in based on their horrific FT %.

 

[mr.checkerboards]

Agree, however, I think this team showed last night what kind of shooting funk they are in based on their horrific FT %.

So, I know there's an opinion out there from NBA scouts that, it a guy doesn't shoot well but has a good FT percentage he can be a good shooter but something is off that they think they can develop.
With our guys not shooting well and we don't shoot free throws well in thinking our shooters just aren't that good.

 

[walkenvol]

Wow! Didn’t expect such a blowout, any team we face with a weak offense is in trouble.

I’m wondering if any team without solid pg play will struggle against UT? The on man pressure UT applies is as impressive as their ft shooting was unimpressive

 

[walkenvol]

Powell seemed to play close to 20mins and didn’t shoot it once. Come on bro.

I’ve been paying more attention to him when watching the games and it strikes me that he rarely gets himself open for a shot and I don’t understand why. SV finds himself wide open a few times a game from the perimeter and SV plays much harder on D vs Powell. SV isn’t running off of 3 picks to get open as it appears he keeps moving and the switching defenses occasionally lose track of him. Can someone who understands the game better than me explain why Powell is never getting open looks?

 

[Zues1]

I’ve been paying more attention to him when watching the games and it strikes me that he rarely gets himself open for a shot and I don’t understand why. SV finds himself wide open a few times a game from the perimeter and SV plays much harder on D vs Powell. SV isn’t running off of 3 picks to get open as it appears he keeps moving and the switching defenses occasionally lose track of him. Can someone who understands the game better than me explain why Powell is never getting open looks?

Here's what I see. SV has a non stop motor and understands how to make plays. Powell's motor seems to be in a lower gear. You have to work for it, have to want it.

 

[cardvolfan]

Here's what I see. SV has a non stop motor and understands how to make plays. Powell's motor seems to be in a lower gear. You have to work for it, have to want it.

Actually, a Barnes post game interview after the 3rd or 4th game sheds some light on that. Powell’s words verify that as he was the player of the game. Powell explained that Barnes wants to use him as a spot-up shooter only. He explained that at Auburn, they used him as a “playmaker,” which is obvious. Vescovi is used here as a playmaker and spot-up guy, so he might have more methods and ways to get open. Powell actually has a good motor, but Santi is incomparable. In other words, there’s more in play than simply getting open. I think defensively teams are putting some pretty sticky glue on Powell and it’s just been hard getting many open looks. Teams know how he can shoot and don’t want to let Powell beat them. Obviously, all this is up for discussion, so thought I would throw out that info from Powell.

 

[volinbama256]

We've had since November to gel and come together as a team, firing on all cylinders at this point with as many games as we've played and who we've played against.... yet we are worse and have seemingly regressed. We've got the head coach calling out one of his senior leaders... We've got tons of talent, but can't find the right lineup/rotation, and are playing timid with zero swagger and confidence... wonder why, and who could/should fix this?

 

[1985Vols]

I’ve been paying more attention to him when watching the games and it strikes me that he rarely gets himself open for a shot and I don’t understand why. SV finds himself wide open a few times a game from the perimeter and SV plays much harder on D vs Powell. SV isn’t running off of 3 picks to get open as it appears he keeps moving and the switching defenses occasionally lose track of him. Can someone who understands the game better than me explain why Powell is never getting open looks?

Powell was wide open at least twice last night and we didn’t get him the ball. I do not understand why we don’t run more screens to get him open. Again, goes back to coaching, or lack thereof on offense. We saw the same last year with 3 NBA players on our roster and we got ousted in the first round because we couldn’t score

 

[therealitytheory]

Powell was wide open at least twice last night and we didn’t get him the ball. I do not understand why we don’t run more screens to get him open. Again, goes back to coaching, or lack thereof on offense. We saw the same last year with 3 NBA players on our roster and we got ousted in the first round because we couldn’t score

Ziegler otoh is quick enough to find his own open three shot. Maybe that goes back to coaching too - even if it's just the fact that he's here...

 

[walkenvol]

Powell was wide open at least twice last night and we didn’t get him the ball. I do not understand why we don’t run more screens to get him open. Again, goes back to coaching, or lack thereof on offense. We saw the same last year with 3 NBA players on our roster and we got ousted in the first round because we couldn’t score

I only recall Powell being open once on the corner in front of the UT bench and the ball was in the opposite corner with SV I think. SV drives the base line and passes towards Powell but SC tips it out of bounds under our basket. What was the other one?

 

[DooleyOrangePants]

I honestly thought we actually looked better today offensively. We just don’t shoot it well period but we at least looked like we were running something with a purpose for most of the game today. The flow was much better with James playing the 4 a lot today too. Part of our problem might be we get bogged down the bigger we get. James with orn or Fulkerson gives up some defensively but seems to make our spacing better. I also think it’s time to transition some of baileys and powell’s minutes to mashak. He reminds me a lot of Richardson when he came in as a freshman.

Traveling this week, so I had to catch the game this morning from my DVR back home.

I do think the team is trying to get together some kind of offensive identity, but we still lack that dominant player that can take the team on his back when things aren't working. Do we have that player already on the roster and they are just being contained in this offense? Maybe.

However, I was overall pleased with the play last night. One thing I definitely agree with you on and it's a great point, time to get Mashack some minutes. The guy has a spark and doesn't back down anywhere on the court. Might be a little raw in some areas, but the potential is really starting to become apparent.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

I love Fulky but watching him play lately is hard. He is like a rubber stick with the ball. He tries to post up bigger stronger guys and has a very hard time. I wish he had more of a midrange game and could play a lanky 3 or 4 position. He isnt strong enough to play the 5 with consistency. But he battles his arse off.

He looked pretty good last night I thought, didn’t try to back a guy down to 3’ every time, use space and speed to get separation and took those 6-10’ shots.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

I think we all saw how good he was the beginning of this year. What has happened since then? Constant berating from his head coach maybe killed his confidence?

He literally said himself he’s been told to shoot the ball by Barnes, it’s on him. What were his numbers against SEC schools last year at Auburn?

 

[bleedingTNorange]

I’ve been paying more attention to him when watching the games and it strikes me that he rarely gets himself open for a shot and I don’t understand why. SV finds himself wide open a few times a game from the perimeter and SV plays much harder on D vs Powell. SV isn’t running off of 3 picks to get open as it appears he keeps moving and the switching defenses occasionally lose track of him. Can someone who understands the game better than me explain why Powell is never getting open looks?

He’s not all that fast or quick, and when he’s “guarded” he kinda just stands there in a corner rather than working to get open…go back and watch how much Santi runs around on the offensive end verse Powell, it’s night and day.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

Actually, a Barnes post game interview after the 3rd or 4th game sheds some light on that. Powell’s words verify that as he was the player of the game. Powell explained that Barnes wants to use him as a spot-up shooter only. He explained that at Auburn, they used him as a “playmaker,” which is obvious. Vescovi is used here as a playmaker and spot-up guy, so he might have more methods and ways to get open. Powell actually has a good motor, but Santi is incomparable. In other words, there’s more in play than simply getting open. I think defensively teams are putting some pretty sticky glue on Powell and it’s just been hard getting many open looks. Teams know how he can shoot and don’t want to let Powell beat them. Obviously, all this is up for discussion, so thought I would throw out that info from Powell.

There’s zero chance that’s what Barnes has told him.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

We've had since November to gel and come together as a team, firing on all cylinders at this point with as many games as we've played and who we've played against.... yet we are worse and have seemingly regressed. We've got the head coach calling out one of his senior leaders... We've got tons of talent, but can't find the right lineup/rotation, and are playing timid with zero swagger and confidence... wonder why, and who could/should fix this?

Interesting take after a 20pt conference win.

 

[1985Vols]

He’s not all that fast or quick, and when he’s “guarded” he kinda just stands there in a corner rather than working to get open…go back and watch how much Santi runs around on the offensive end verse Powell, it’s night and day.

Heres a novel idea, that typically isnt in Barnes repertoire. Set some screens to get him some open looks.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

Powell was wide open at least twice last night and we didn’t get him the ball. I do not understand why we don’t run more screens to get him open. Again, goes back to coaching, or lack thereof on offense. We saw the same last year with 3 NBA players on our roster and we got ousted in the first round because we couldn’t score

I must’ve missed where Johnson/Springer/Pons are showing out as offensive forces in the league…I think it was @zjcvols who said to watch how those guys (Keon) especially balled out this year in the NBA.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

Heres a novel idea, that typically isnt in Barnes repertoire. Set some screens to get him some open looks.

I don’t disagree we could design some plays for him, but Santi finds himself open from 3 multiple times a game…also, if you paid attention, there’s built in screens with the motion offense that Barnes runs, Santi utilizes these, maybe Powell should do the same?

 

[cardvolfan]

There’s zero chance that’s what Barnes has told him.

You might want to find the interview. Maybe you’re saying Powell isn’t truthful. I really don’t know. Take that to a higher authority than me.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

You might want to find the interview. Maybe you’re saying Powell isn’t truthful. I really don’t know. Take that to a higher authority than me.

I’m thinking context was missed or Powell maybe didn’t get his point across accurately, considering he has a number of 2pta on the year I would say alone says that isn’t accurate. I assure you Barnes hasn’t once told him to stand in a corner and be a spot up shooter only.

 

[ColinS]

Agree, however, I think this team showed last night what kind of shooting funk they are in based on their horrific FT %.

Yeah, the one thing that really impressed me about South Carolina last night was their ability to guard the free throw line.

 

[1985Vols]

I must’ve missed where Johnson/Springer/Pons are showing out as offensive forces in the league…I think it was @zjcvols who said to watch how those guys (Keon) especially balled out this year in the NBA.

They‘re rookies . At least they are in the NBA which is quite an accomplishment. If Barnes had let them play and not held them back with his “ system”, we would have been a sweet 16 team last year. They would have thrived in Pearls system,