The Official #13 Tennessee vs. McNeese State Game Thread, 7:15 PM ET, SEC Network

[OrangeYouGlad]

Awaka saves the cover!

Watched the game in the Caesar's Palace sportsbook (I'm here for a conference) and I'm fairly certain I was the only one in the room who cared about watching it live. I had to ask one of the bookies to put the game on any one of the million screens that they have there and they accommodated me. Thanks to Awaka, I got a $9.55 return on my $5 bet on the Vols to cover .

 

[RockyTop140]

Not calling you out, but using the opportunity to remind us all that, in every sport, guys down the chart get hours of practice every day. And unlike football, where QBs wear non-contact jerseys and only game experience reveals their running or escapability, the basketball coaching staff knows exactly what each player can and cannot do.

We will see Edwards as soon as he convinces the coaches that he's ready to help the team consistently. The comments on his defense sound encouraging!

You’re right that Barnes knows exactly what edwards is capable of. But when you’re up 30 against a garbage team I just don’t see the downside to playing the only other true PG on the roster. Even if he’s not ready to help the team consistently, games like these are where you get guys good experience/confidence. God forbid Ziegler goes down, we would be forced to play him.

 

[BruisedOrange]

There's also the coaching philosophy that you don't let a player go into a game and repeat bad habits, because doing it under game conditions just lengthens the amount of time it's going to take for him to replace those bad habits with correct behavior.

 

[kiddiedoc]

The offense looked discombobulated, especially in the first half. Once again, our defense was silly good. We have a lot to build with, especially when J3 returns. I think this team might get better as the year goes on and hopefully peak in March/ April.

 

[ColinS]

You’re blind or don’t watch basketball much

Nothing he says here is untrue. Very passive player and he has skillet hands. Does have some offensive skill and a nice touch but not exactly the type to get in there and mix it up.

 

[walkenvol]

Dominating sleepwalking game. We shot well from the field and deep. FTs were bad but wasn’t needed.

Aidoo had himself a game ya gotta think he’s gonna get more minutes than Uros by end of the season, just seems so much more active.

I think if Aidoo continues improving he’s going to start taking some of ON’s minutes.

 

[cardvolfan]

102 minutes since Vols trailed in a basketball game. Defense wins. I think many of us hoped to see some offensive firepower this year. I was certainly hoping for an offensive juggernaut identity myself. It’s becoming a little more obvious each outing that our identity is cutthroat defense. I’m really liking it.

 

[TennesseeFan07]

In the garbage time minutes I’ve seen from him this year, he’s looked pretty good. Wish we could see him get some more meaningful minutes and how he would fare.

I think he is playing his way into an opportunity.

 

[Plecoptera]

This was another great defensive performance. The offense still needs to get better but I’m encouraged by how our younger players are developing. One of my biggest concerns right now is free throw shooting.

 

[cardvolfan]

This was another great defensive performance. The offense still needs to get better but I’m encouraged by how our younger players are developing. One of my biggest concerns right now is free throw shooting.

They were shooting 76% at the FT line prior to this game. I think, in general, they’re going to be okay there.

 

[Toucan Sam]

The defense played exceptionally well last night.

 

[hjeagle1vol]

Watched the game in the Caesar's Palace sportsbook (I'm here for a conference) and I'm fairly certain I was the only one in the room who cared about watching it live. I had to ask one of the bookies to put the game on any one of the million screens that they have there and they accommodated me. Thanks to Awaka, I got a $9.55 return on my $5 bet on the Vols to cover .
View attachment 519585

I’d have expensed a $100 bet to my company for and pulled $200 , but nice Been there nice Sportsbook to watch a game

 

[ReadCT]

Was a kid growing up in Lake Charles, LA.

First college hoops game I ever went to was McNeese St. featuring Joe Dumars in 1983. Mom used to keep score in the program; not enough space to keep track of how many points he scored that night on the scorecard

As for this game, me thinks we need more practice against zone defense

 

[MoCo_Vol]

The offense looked discombobulated, especially in the first half. Once again, our defense was silly good. We have a lot to build with, especially when J3 returns. I think this team might get better as the year goes on and hopefully peak in March/ April.

I just don't get this take or agree with it...

42.6% FG, 37.9% 3PT, 55.9% FT

That's 2.6% above our average for FG, and 4.6% above our average for 3PT. FT we were 16.6% below our averages, but you can contribute that to just being a bit tired...they did play a tournament and had to travel back. Although with a 5 day break shouldn't have been that tired.

I think McNeese running their weird zone and choosing to foul like crazy was part of it. (we shot 34 FTs, 2nd most on the season) I also think the "big man" lineup that Barnes likes to open games with just isn't very offensive driven. Uros, Olivier, Phillips, Key and Santi I expect when JJJ is back Uros or Olivier isn't starting anymore.

 

[cardvolfan]

I just don't get this take or agree with it...

42.6% FG, 37.9% 3PT, 55.9% FT

That's 2.6% above our average for FG, and 4.6% above our average for 3PT. FT we were 16.6% below our averages, but you can contribute that to just being a bit tired...they did play a tournament and had to travel back. Although with a 5 day break shouldn't have been that tired.

I think McNeese running their weird zone and choosing to foul like crazy was part of it. (we shot 34 FTs, 2nd most on the season) I also think the "big man" lineup that Barnes likes to open games with just isn't very offensive driven. Uros, Olivier, Phillips, Key and Santi I expect when JJJ is back Uros or Olivier isn't starting anymore.

The shooting was atrocious in the 1st half and our shooting, both 2’s and 3’s, is well under average. Frankly, it’s not very good. Go to Barttorvik to see that. The 2nd half last night we did get into a reasonable flow, but overall 42.6% is definitely short of where we need to be when the schedule gets hard.

 

[MoCo_Vol]

The shooting was atrocious in the 1st half and our shooting, both 2’s and 3’s, is well under average. Frankly, it’s not very good. Go to Barttorvik to see that. The 2nd half last night we did get into a reasonable flow, but overall 42.6% is definitely short of where we need to be when the schedule gets hard.

Listen, I'm not going back and forth over this. But the averages referenced are what the team has shot on the season.

2022: 40% FG, 33.3% 3PT, 72.5% FT
2021: 43.4% FG, 36% 3PT, 71.5% FT
2020: 43.9% FG, 33.1% 3PT, 74.6% FT

It's not an assumption based on "what I saw" I am just looking at the numbers and comparing them. We scored 30 in the first half and 46 in the 2nd half. The biggest change was the amount of 3PT shots we hit in the 2nd half versus the 1st half.

So really my only complaint about last night was the FT shooting. It was our 3rd best performance from the 3 point line, and our 3rd best performance shooting in general.

 

[Ttucke11]

What happened to the post-game write ups? I can't remember who did them, but I always enjoyed the read.

 

[RavinDave]

Was a kid growing up in Lake Charles, LA.

First college hoops game I ever went to was McNeese St. featuring Joe Dumars in 1983. Mom used to keep score in the program; not enough space to keep track of how many points he scored that night on the scorecard

As for this game, me thinks we need more practice against zone defense

Gave you a like for being from Lake Charles.

 

[Willy14]

What happened to the post-game write ups? I can't remember who did them, but I always enjoyed the read.

@bleedingTNorange always did them, I asked at the beginning of the season if he was still going to do them because I enjoyed reading them as well. But I know it takes a lot of time to type everything out so he might just be really busy lately

 

[ColinS]

I don't think we were playing all that well and still coasted. The competition was so weak that it's hard to make any real deduction about the team's defensive stats other than it was workman like and we handled our business. This poor level of competition seemed to leave us a little disinterested.

 

[ReadCT]

Gave you a like for being from Lake Charles.

Haha... you go to Barbe, LaGrange, or St. Louis for HS?

I lived there before there was a single casino. Left in '85 and have never been back

 

[bleedingTNorange]

I don't think we were playing all that well and still coasted. The competition was so weak that it's hard to make any real deduction about the team's defensive stats other than it was workman like and we handled our business. This poor level of competition seemed to leave us a little disinterested.

While I get your point they did put up 60 against Baylor and haven’t scored less than 58 all year, so not sure that completely dismissing holding them to 40 is fair.

 

[Allvols1996]

While I get your point they did put up 60 against Baylor and haven’t scored less than 58 all year, so not sure that completely dismissing holding them to 40 is fair.

Impression I got from the game is UT defense could have held them to less if it really wanted. Dominating win. Offense continues to struggle at times and turnovers are a serious problem.

 

[cardvolfan]

Impression I got from the game is UT defense could have held them to less if it really wanted. Dominating win. Offense continues to struggle at times and turnovers are a serious problem.

We had 11 Wednesday night, so better. This team will reduce TO’s significantly I believe, as this is an area he just will not tolerate.

 

[RavinDave]

Haha... you go to Barbe, LaGrange, or St. Louis for HS?

I lived there before there was a single casino. Left in '85 and have never been back

No actually grew up in Knoxville and moved to Baton Rouge after college at UTK. That was in 1976. We’ve lived in Houston the last 20+ years but I love Louisiana.