Are we in a different…

[Dougie_D]

Offense?
Like this is a legitimate question.
It just doesn’t feel like what we had last year.
I’m wondering if it’s because Santi and JJJ who came back are kinda being outplayed by the transfers. Sounds silly, but if you decide to come back to “help the team” but you are being outplayed by transfers, your mindset is gonna be “f’d up”.
I’m wondering what we would be like with no Santi and no JJJ?

 

[VFLer]

We’d be worse for sure, but they are both streak shooters. Hot one game cold the next. Need ZZ to get his shot back too.

 

[Stoked]

Umm JJJ was our 2nd leading scorer with 20 points last night. He's statistically having his best year at UT. Career high 11 ppg and shooting 44% from 3!

Now clearly this isn't the same Vescovi but I'm guessing there's some personal issue (maybe the loss of his grandmother?) going on... he did just drop 21 points vs the number 1 team a game ago though...

 

[cardvolfan]

Umm JJJ was our 2nd leading scorer with 20 points last night. He's statistically having his best year at UT. Career high 11 ppg and shooting 44% from 3!

Now clearly this isn't the same Vescovi but I'm guessing there's some personal issue (maybe the loss of his grandmother?) going on... he did just drop 21 points vs the number 1 team a game ago though...

Santi has historically shot poorly the first 6 weeks. Like clockwork, he improves as the season goes along.

 

[zeppelin128]

I'm pretty sure last night was my fault: every time I watch shooty hoops we lose. Ladies included.

I'll make the sacrifice; no more squeaky shoes this year.

 

[THEONLYTENISEE]

I don’t know how many programs could play Purdue, Kansas, UNC, and run the table. I’m waiting until 15 games in to make a judgement on this team.

 

[TheMookieMonster]

I can’t take any poster seriously that comes in and complains about JJJ this year. It’s just clear evidence that person isn’t watching the games.

 

[ArmchairQB]

I'm pretty sure last night was my fault: every time I watch shooty hoops we lose. Ladies included.

I'll make the sacrifice; no more squeaky shoes this year.

Don't blame yourself. I was on the fence about whether to wear home game socks or away game socks yesterday and I made the wrong choice. I may throw them both out just to be sure.

 

[cncchris33]

I don’t know how many programs could play Purdue, Kansas, UNC, and run the table. I’m waiting until 15 games in to make a judgement on this team.

That's fair, but it's also fair to wonder how many trendy F4 picks go 0-fer against those three teams, too.

I'm with you in that I will withhold judgement until we have a greater sample size, but I'm thinking our lack of post talent and depth was perhaps overlooked or improperly scrutinized if our goal is the F4 with this bunch. We have some glaring holes that need to be addressed or masked. Injuries have certainly not helped our cause.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

I’m glad that Barnes has the wisdom to have added Estrella and Phillips to the roster and to begin working them into the rotation so early. Awaka and Aidoo are pretty good, but Awaka is already missing significant minutes due to injury.

 

[sami]

I can’t take any poster seriously that comes in and complains about JJJ this year. It’s just clear evidence that person isn’t watching the games.

Agreed, and I'll go a step further. While it's clear that Knecht is and should be option #1 offensively, I'd love to see JJJ more often take the ball to the rim or pull up and elevate for short jumpers like he has this season. He's got so much natural ability, and it seems that he's always deferred or settled for shots too much in this offense. With Knecht down, JJJ needs to step up.

The offense too often comes to the end of the shot clock and results in desperation shots instead of attacking early or running DHO or P&R actions with Knecht and JJJ. I would think that Aidoo and Awaka would be ideal roll guys in a P&R.

 

[THEONLYTENISEE]

That's fair, but it's also fair to wonder how many trendy F4 picks go 0-fer against those three teams, too.

I'm with you in that I will withhold judgement until we have a greater sample size, but I'm thinking our lack of post talent and depth was perhaps overlooked or improperly scrutinized if our goal is the F4 with this bunch. We have some glaring holes that need to be addressed or masked. Injuries have certainly not helped our cause.

If a team doesn’t have an elite big man and elite point guard, I wouldn’t pick them for the Final Four.

 

[EastTNVol423]

I don’t know how many programs could play Purdue, Kansas, UNC, and run the table. I’m waiting until 15 games in to make a judgement on this team.

I agree that we just came out of as tough of a stretch as anybody this early in the year. Final 4 caliber teams win 1-2 of those most of the time though. People on both sides probably need to pump the brakes a little. A lot of ball left to play and hopefully these guys can get it straightened out

 

[PandamoniumReigns]

I agree that we just came out of as tough of a stretch as anybody this early in the year. Final 4 caliber teams win 1-2 of those most of the time though. People on both sides probably need to pump the brakes a little. A lot of ball left to play and hopefully these guys can get it straightened out

UNC made the title game a couple years ago even though we beat them. If I remember correctly.

Uconn had some tough losses last year as well.

 

[EastTNVol423]

UNC made the title game a couple years ago even though we beat them. If I remember correctly.

Uconn had some tough losses last year as well.

Oh we are definitely not out of it. Way to early for that. A few warning signs that I had hoped we wouldn't see. Biggest takeaway for me last night was that this team didn't give up. They fought til the end and tried to give themselves a chance.

 

[sami]

If a team doesn’t have an elite big man and elite point guard, I wouldn’t pick them for the Final Four.

That's the problem, that we don't have a post presence or a guy who can break defenses down in the half court. We rely way too much on ball and player movement resulting in 3's and long 2's, and that is a boom or bust way to play. Against elite defenses and in tournament situations where half court offense is paramount is where we primarily have issues.

I said it earlier, but we do have the personnel to run DHO and P&R actions early in the shot clock, which will result in more shots around the rim, free throws, and open looks off double teams. I know Barnes is focused on the defensive end, but last night's game was a wake-up call that this offense can't survive against elite defensive teams without Knecht playing Superman.

 

[cncchris33]

If a team doesn’t have an elite big man and elite point guard, I wouldn’t pick them for the Final Four.

Three of last years F4 teams had neither unless you consider Nijel Pack an elite PG.

And my point was that despite Tennessee not having either of those things, it didn't stop a lot of people (national media types) from picking them for the F4.

 

[THEONLYTENISEE]

Three of last years F4 teams had neither unless you consider Nijel Pack an elite PG.

And my point was that despite Tennessee not having either of those things, it didn't stop a lot of people (national media types) from picking them for the F4.

Would you pick a team that has never been to a Final Four? Sometimes fans read too much into the media.

 

[Rifleman]

I'm pretty sure last night was my fault: every time I watch shooty hoops we lose. Ladies included.

I'll make the sacrifice; no more squeaky shoes this year.

Nah, it was all my fault. I had some moonshine in a mug on the counter. Went to the bathroom, retrieved mug and sat down to watch game. At first time out I robotically tossed back a swig from my mug and my brain imploded . . . it was some skim milk Mrs. Rifleman had poured for herself earlier in the evening.

In short, my brain is a black hole now and everything is cursed.

 

[BreatheUT]

I don’t know how many programs could play Purdue, Kansas, UNC, and run the table. I’m waiting until 15 games in to make a judgement on this team.

Agreed. We ran the table. All L's.

I don't know what Ledlum is doing but we needed an infusion of players with offense over the offseason.

You can only do so much with a defensive minded team. We appear to be softer without Plasvic.

 

[BernardKingGOAT]

Agreed. We ran the table. All L's.

I don't know what Ledlum is doing but we needed an infusion of players with offense over the offseason.

You can only do so much with a defensive minded team. We appear to be softer without Plasvic.

Ledlum? We scored 92 points last night. Damn

 

[cncchris33]

Would you pick a team that has never been to a Final Four? Sometimes fans read too much into the media.

"Read too much into the media"? How so? There's nothing to be read into. It happened. And it wasn't some single, one-off rando media member from the Tullahoma Times. Joe Lunardi, John Gasaway, and Jeff Borzello, all picked Tennessee in their F4. And that is just the ESPN contingency.

 

[BernardKingGOAT]

Agreed. We ran the table. All L's.

I don't know what Ledlum is doing but we needed an infusion of players with offense over the offseason.

You can only do so much with a defensive minded team. We appear to be softer without Plasvic.

No way you watched the game. Ever heard of Dalton Knecht?

 

[PACKERVOL]

We’d be worse for sure, but they are both streak shooters. Hot one game cold the next. Need ZZ to get his shot back too.

And that's a legitimate issue. Live by the 3, die by the 3. Until we start signing big men who are DUDES, rather than dudes, especially when the 3's aren't falling, we will continue to struggle when there is a lid on our goal.

 

[Volfan1000]

Offense?
Like this is a legitimate question.
It just doesn’t feel like what we had last year.
I’m wondering if it’s because Santi and JJJ who came back are kinda being outplayed by the transfers. Sounds silly, but if you decide to come back to “help the team” but you are being outplayed by transfers, your mindset is gonna be “f’d up”.
I’m wondering what we would be like with no Santi and no JJJ?

The defense would not be as solid without James and Vescovi.

Vescovi will eventually get his points and moments over the course of this season and he is deferring to Knecht right now who is a Houston/King/Grunfeld type of scorer that we have not had at Tennessee during the Barnes tenure.