Early SEC Results and Where It Goes From Here

#26
#26
Kentucky will be in it at the end, Calipari's teams always get better by end of season, don't let that record fool you. Right now I would rank Bama first, Vols second, LSU 3rd and Kentucky 4th (3-1 in conference). I dont think Tennessee can beat Bama unless they change up their defensive philosophy somewhat, the Bama layup line was uncontested most of the game two weeks ago....
Pons was in early foul trouble; our best shooter rolled his ankle early on, and we had an off night shooting. Trust me we can easily beat Bama if we play ball.
 
#27
#27
I've only watched Alabama play vs us and UK but I can't figure out how they dropped those games early in the season. Petty looks like an All American. Deadly from three and against UK he got to the basket whenever he wanted and was completely in control of the game. I guess they are likely to have an off shooting night at some point and lose one or two. I think we just need to take care of our own business and not worry if we finish first or second in the regular season. The Alabama loss might have been a wake up call that helps us win an SEC tourney and get a high tourney seed.
3 losses: 17/77 from deep, 22%.
10 wins: 110/304 from deep, 36%.
 
#28
#28
Bama beats TN maybe 3 times out of 10.
Refs took Pons out of the game and he was a big part of TNs gameplan. Plus Bammers shot out of their minds from three during one stretch.

Next matchup will be a different game if the ticky tack fouls are left out and averages hold out on shooting.
Out of their minds as in 5-5 from the 3 in the first four and one-half minutes of the second half.
 
#29
#29
Pons was in early foul trouble; our best shooter rolled his ankle early on, and we had an off night shooting. Trust me we can easily beat Bama if we play ball.
I wouldn’t say easily, but yes, we can and should beat them, but it will be a battle.
 
#30
#30
We can certainly beat them but want if they are allowed to drive the ball to the basket on every possession. That's the key to beating them.
 
#35
#35
I keep seeing Vandy is a cakewalk this season. Both 3 and 1 UK and Mississippi State beat Vandy by just 3. I wouldn't call that a cakewalk.
They made a combined 25 3s between those two games and still took the L. That’s a sign of a bad team that you can’t even win whenever you shoot the lights out. They play horrible defense too. Hold them under 10 made 3s in a game and it’s an automatic W. If we get to play them, I would be stunned if we don’t win by 15+ points.

Edit: Just to put it into perspective of how bad of a program they have been lately, they are a combined 3-36 in conference games dating back to the 2018-2019 season. That’s about all that needs to be said about them.
 
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#37
#37
They made a combined 25 3s between those two games and still took the L. That’s a sign of a bad team that you can’t even win whenever you shoot the lights out. They play horrible defense too. Hold them under 10 made 3s in a game and it’s an automatic W. If we get to play them, I would be stunned if we don’t win by 15+ points.

Edit: Just to put it into perspective of how bad of a program they have been lately, they are a combined 3-36 in conference games dating back to the 2018-2019 season. That’s about all that needs to be said about them.

Vandy was winless and took #1 Vols to OT a few years ago. UT rarely wins by 15 at Memorial Gym.
 
#38
#38
Vandy was winless and took #1 Vols to OT a few years ago. UT rarely wins by 15 at Memorial Gym.
Yeah I remember us jumping out to a huge lead and they knew they weren’t going to win so they fouled us 30 times and sent Grant Williams to the free throw line like 25 times, repeatedly stopping the clock and flow of the game. A team normally only fouls 15-20 times a game max. They knew we would’ve dropped 100+ points on them playing the way the game is supposed to be played, so they kept fouling to muck up the game. They knew they had no chance. And it didn’t work because they still lost.
 
#39
#39
Bama is good, but they aren’t great. This is still the Vols year. We lost to them on a night we’re they shot out of their minds and we couldn’t hit anything.....and we were still in it at the end. That loss proved how good we were more than any of our wins so far.

I have been high in Bama all year. They worried me after those early losses, but have definitely hit their stride. We’ll see how the injuries affect them. I’m just a believer in Oates They are a legit top 20 team. I also think old Tom Crean is putting something together in Athens, it’s going to be another year or two, but that’s one to watch. The SEC is getting very, very good at basketball.

Vols should be in control of the SEC by the Kansas game.
 
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#41
#41
Tennessee with a healthy Springer and Pons out of foul trouble matches up much differently against Bama, we were forced to play Anosike/ORN/Pember more than we ideally would’ve in that game.

100% and we shot 65% from the free throw line to boot missing 9 free throws when we only lost by 8
 
#43
#43
People keep saying "if Pons is not in foul trouble". Our bigs are gonna be in foul trouble if a team is constantly getting to the basket. Our two bigs play too many minutes and have no bench help. It's gonna happen one way or the other. Phantom foul calls or legit fouls, at least one of them will be on the bench. The key will be to keep them from doing this again.
 
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#45
#45
People keep saying "if Pons is not in foul trouble". Our bigs are gonna be in foul trouble if a team is constantly getting to the basket. Our two bigs play too many minutes and have no bench help. It's gonna happen one way or the other. Phantom foul calls or legit fouls, at least one of them will be on the bench. The key will be to keep them from doing this again.
28mpg is too many?
 
#46
#46
Tennessee could end up the best in SEC, but watch out. They could be fourth best... Look out for Alabama, LSU, and Kentucky.
All three are coming on right strong now.
 
#47
#47
Tennessee could end up the best in SEC, but watch out. They could be fourth best... Look out for Alabama, LSU, and Kentucky.
All three are coming on right strong now.
They are, but I can find chinks in their armor as easily as I can find them in ours.

Alabama: injuries (currently) and a heavy reliance on the 3, slightly below average defensively
•Offensive rating - 7th in the SEC
•Defensive rating - 10th in the SEC

Kentucky: can't score/can't shoot (last in FG%, 2nd to last in PPG), no leadership, turnover prone
•Offensive rating - 13th in the SEC
•Defensive rating - 4th in the SEC

LSU: pretty average defensively, don't affect many shots in the paint, very little depth
•Offensive rating - 1st in the SEC
•Defensive rating - 8th in the SEC

Tennessee: rebounding (particularly defensive reb.), ball-handling
•Offensive rating - 3rd in the SEC
•Defensive rating - 1st in the SEC

What if I told you we were actually a better 3-pt shooting team than Bama, statistically, and by a pretty clear margin? Or that we lead the SEC in fewest fouls committed, fewest TOs committed, opponent's PPG, assists/gm, and scoring margin?

I think our fans, and the media, alike, have put far too much emphasis on our lone loss, and largely ignored everything else we've done, to this point. Almost as if that lone loss defined us as a ticking timebomb ready to get blown up, and Alabama pulled the trigger. They played their best game, we played, far and away, our worst game. We lost Springer 5 minutes in, and Pons was saddled with foul trouble in the only game he's played all year where he "committed" more than 2 fouls.

Everything's gonna be alright. None of this is directed solely at you @SPRINGHILLVOL. Just using your post as a general starting point.
 
#48
#48
They are, but I can find chinks in their armor as easily as I can find them in ours.

Alabama: injuries (currently) and a heavy reliance on the 3, slightly below average defensively
•Offensive rating - 7th in the SEC
•Defensive rating - 10th in the SEC

Kentucky: can't score/can't shoot (last in FG%, 2nd to last in PPG), no leadership, turnover prone
•Offensive rating - 13th in the SEC
•Defensive rating - 4th in the SEC

LSU: pretty average defensively, don't affect many shots in the paint, very little depth
•Offensive rating - 1st in the SEC
•Defensive rating - 8th in the SEC

Tennessee: rebounding (particularly defensive reb.), ball-handling
•Offensive rating - 3rd in the SEC
•Defensive rating - 1st in the SEC

What if I told you we were actually a better 3-pt shooting team than Bama, statistically, and by a pretty clear margin? Or that we lead the SEC in fewest fouls committed, fewest TOs committed, opponent's PPG, assists/gm, and scoring margin?

I think our fans, and the media, alike, have put far too much emphasis on our lone loss, and largely ignored everything else we've done, to this point. Almost as if that lone loss defined us as a ticking timebomb ready to get blown up, and Alabama pulled the trigger. They played their best game, we played, far and away, our worst game. We lost Springer 5 minutes in, and Pons was saddled with foul trouble in the only game he's played all year where he "committed" more than 2 fouls.

Everything's gonna be alright. None of this is directed solely at you @SPRINGHILLVOL. Just using your post as a general starting point.
Good stuff. One thing experience has taught me is to NEVER place too much emphasis on one game. One game is often an anomaly and overthinking can drive you crazy.

Three things I know about this Tennessee team: (1) They play great defense and will have a good chance of beating anyone they play (2) They will play hard every time they hit the court no matter the circumstances (3) The ceiling for this team hasn’t come close to being tapped.

This team is very good.
 
#49
#49
They are, but I can find chinks in their armor as easily as I can find them in ours.

Alabama: injuries (currently) and a heavy reliance on the 3, slightly below average defensively
•Offensive rating - 7th in the SEC
•Defensive rating - 10th in the SEC

Kentucky: can't score/can't shoot (last in FG%, 2nd to last in PPG), no leadership, turnover prone
•Offensive rating - 13th in the SEC
•Defensive rating - 4th in the SEC

LSU: pretty average defensively, don't affect many shots in the paint, very little depth
•Offensive rating - 1st in the SEC
•Defensive rating - 8th in the SEC

Tennessee: rebounding (particularly defensive reb.), ball-handling
•Offensive rating - 3rd in the SEC
•Defensive rating - 1st in the SEC

What if I told you we were actually a better 3-pt shooting team than Bama, statistically, and by a pretty clear margin? Or that we lead the SEC in fewest fouls committed, fewest TOs committed, opponent's PPG, assists/gm, and scoring margin?

I think our fans, and the media, alike, have put far too much emphasis on our lone loss, and largely ignored everything else we've done, to this point. Almost as if that lone loss defined us as a ticking timebomb ready to get blown up, and Alabama pulled the trigger. They played their best game, we played, far and away, our worst game. We lost Springer 5 minutes in, and Pons was saddled with foul trouble in the only game he's played all year where he "committed" more than 2 fouls.

Everything's gonna be alright. None of this is directed solely at you @SPRINGHILLVOL. Just using your post as a general starting point.
All great info. It may be BVS or it may be general paranoia and over-analyzation, but when we are good in hoops I always find myself focusing on the bad rather than the good. This team has very very little "bad" and if they can even solely clean up the rebounding issue, we could be around beyond the second weekend of the tourney. It feels like they're so close to putting it all together.

Side note: I know some don't buy the idea of "peaking too early", but with the way we have been playing and still having these small issues to clean up, I could see Rick getting these guys hot at the perfect time this year.
 

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