goldvol
VolNation's Lesser Poobah
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Tennessee’s win over Houston last night felt like a battle from the opening tip, and early on it was the Cougars who looked like the sharper, more prepared team. Houston controlled the pace through much of the first half — crisp ball movement, strong spacing, and confident offense that made them look like the better team early. Barnes had said beforehand that Houston would come in and try to be physical with Nate and Ja’Kobi, and he wasn’t exaggerating. From the beginning there were bodies on the floor, collisions in the paint, and constant pressure on Tennessee’s ball-handlers.
Given all that, I actually felt pretty good about being down only a modest amount at halftime. The Vols hadn’t played their best, Houston had thrown the first punch, and the game still felt very much within reach if Tennessee could just settle in and clean things up.
The second half is where everything flipped. Tennessee’s defense stepped up and forced Houston into that long cold stretch where they couldn’t buy a basket. Those several minutes — the stalled possessions, the forced shots — completely shifted the momentum. On the other end, Tennessee started capitalizing, especially at the free-throw line. Execution there ended up being the difference in the game.
One of the biggest moments came with around two minutes left. Okpara missed a free throw, but Jaylen Carey came crashing in and tipped it back in to push the lead to four. After some earlier turnovers — including a couple thrown straight into the stands — that putback was a massive redemption moment and exactly the kind of second-chance hustle that wins tight games.
There were still some issues. Tennessee had stretches of sloppy decision-making, and Cade Phillips never quite found his role in this one — whether it was matchup problems, pace, or simply an off night, he didn’t shine the way he has in other spots. The three-point shooting also has to get better, though credit goes to Houston’s physicality and pressure for taking the comfort out of a lot of those attempts.
In the end, this game came down to a handful of core ingredients: second-half defense, winning the free-throw battle, points off turnovers, and second-chance points. Tennessee didn’t play perfect basketball, but they played tough basketball — and when it mattered most, they stepped up, punched back, and made the winning plays.
And make no mistake — this was a huge early-season win. Houston was one of the best teams in the country last season and looks every bit the part again this year. Beating a team that disciplined, that physical, and that talented this early in the schedule does more than just pad the resume — it shows exactly what this Tennessee group is capable of when it locks in. If the Vols can clean up the mistakes and build on this kind of toughness, they’re going to be a problem for a lot of teams moving forward.
Given all that, I actually felt pretty good about being down only a modest amount at halftime. The Vols hadn’t played their best, Houston had thrown the first punch, and the game still felt very much within reach if Tennessee could just settle in and clean things up.
The second half is where everything flipped. Tennessee’s defense stepped up and forced Houston into that long cold stretch where they couldn’t buy a basket. Those several minutes — the stalled possessions, the forced shots — completely shifted the momentum. On the other end, Tennessee started capitalizing, especially at the free-throw line. Execution there ended up being the difference in the game.
One of the biggest moments came with around two minutes left. Okpara missed a free throw, but Jaylen Carey came crashing in and tipped it back in to push the lead to four. After some earlier turnovers — including a couple thrown straight into the stands — that putback was a massive redemption moment and exactly the kind of second-chance hustle that wins tight games.
There were still some issues. Tennessee had stretches of sloppy decision-making, and Cade Phillips never quite found his role in this one — whether it was matchup problems, pace, or simply an off night, he didn’t shine the way he has in other spots. The three-point shooting also has to get better, though credit goes to Houston’s physicality and pressure for taking the comfort out of a lot of those attempts.
In the end, this game came down to a handful of core ingredients: second-half defense, winning the free-throw battle, points off turnovers, and second-chance points. Tennessee didn’t play perfect basketball, but they played tough basketball — and when it mattered most, they stepped up, punched back, and made the winning plays.
And make no mistake — this was a huge early-season win. Houston was one of the best teams in the country last season and looks every bit the part again this year. Beating a team that disciplined, that physical, and that talented this early in the schedule does more than just pad the resume — it shows exactly what this Tennessee group is capable of when it locks in. If the Vols can clean up the mistakes and build on this kind of toughness, they’re going to be a problem for a lot of teams moving forward.
