I think the pressure may just be off Tennessee at this point.

#26
#26
only shot is if the boys can go back to january form and they get over the fact they won the sec and got to be no 1 for a day.
it has been downhill on the court ever since.
we may get killed Thursday...that is just the facts without the orange glasses on.
 
#27
#27
You can be worried but still be positive. Truth is, UT still hasn't played their best game of the year yet, and we're down to 16. If they play like they did against Memphis (rebounding, loose balls, etc.) they can win the rest of the way. UT was their own worst enemy against Butler. It's in their hands now. Forget Elite 8, or even the Final 4. I want to raise a banner in Thompson-Boiling that says "2008 National Champions".

Let's do it Orange, bring it home to Knoxville. Beat the Cards!
 
#28
#28
I agree that it's a different pressure.

I'm also sure C-Lo doesn't feel any less pressure.
 
#29
#29
We aren't due anything. Either we are the better team or we are not. Our past performances have been almost overwhelmingly winning games. It doesn't matter how you've done it. Could we play better? Sure. But, so could Louisville or any other team in the tournament. I don't like winning the game at the last second, but we've done it so much this year I tend to like our odds.
 
#30
#30
utfantilidie said:
Based on their achievements thus far and bball history for the Vols in general, I hope they play like gang busters now and give an all out effort. If they do lose, at least go down swinging!Can I get an amen?
Click to expand...

There's no pressure at all. If they win Thursday night, they will become the first Tennessee team to advance to the elite 8 in the history of the program. What pressure?
 
#32
#32
I think this team needs the pressure to do well. Seems to be less show-boating and better play when the pressure is on. Free throws, solid three-point shooting and less turn-overs = Victory.
 
#33
#33
obxvol said:
I think this team needs the pressure to do well. Seems to be less show-boating and better play when the pressure is on. Free throws, solid three-point shooting and less turn-overs = Victory.
Click to expand...

I somewhat agree. I think we do well in a "big game" environment. Our players will step up.
 
#34
#34
Cartervol said:
Yeah the pressure should be off. No one expects us to beat louisville anyway. It wouldn't surprise me if we handle them easily.
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it would be to me.

volfanbill said:
i would think there's more pressure than ever. Everyone wants to see Tennessee finally get over the Sweet Sixteen hump and to do so they must beat one of the hottest teams in the nation, a team that on paper should give them fits? Yeah, you're right, no pressure there.
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i think this is the first time the men's basket ball program has ever been under pressure. i think they've met the expectation. they won the SEC. they're in the sweet 16, again. at this point, i think it's safe to say, the pressure is on to do just what you said....get over that hump. and that's not a bad thing, i think when BP took this job, that's what he wanted to create--expectations. congratulations coach, we now have them!!!
IPorange said:
One somewhat comforting thing is there are no more trap games. It is impossible at this point in the tournament. Everyone is an established good team with sweet 16 credentials. They wouldn't be here if they weren't lethal to at least two other tournament teams.

There is no Vanderbilt waiting in the weeds after no. 1 Memphis. There is no @ KY at the end of a stretch of 3 games in 6 days.

There is Louisville, standing in the way of Tennessee's first Elite Eight. Everything beyond that is obstructed by that game, and everything behind is trivial memory at this moment in time.

If our players can't get up and get focused for any games they play from here on out, they deserve to go home.
Click to expand...
agreed, and i think they all get that, so i'm not worried about the attitude or mentality going in to the game. Good post.
 
#35
#35
There is always pressure in the tournament. It builds going from game to game. As Jake wrote, we now have expectations which come this season's success and the #2 seed. Pressure I am sure the team gladly accepts along with the rewards.
 
#36
#36
Jayhawk Vol-fan here

I have read this thread with disbelief! If you guys believe you should be a one seed (and even I believe it was a close call), then you believe you are one of the top four teams in the nation. You should believe that beating Louisville and going on to the Elite 8 is just the next step to the Final Four for Tennessee! I do!

Louisville just lost its last two games in the Big East to Georgetown and Pittsburgh. That's the Georgetown and Pittsburgh who are OUT OF THE TOURNAMENT.

I watched the Pittsburgh game. I've seen up close and personal how former Jayhawk David Padgett can occasionally do what he did against Pittsburgh --wilt against physical play. By the way, we believe he left KU because he was like a lot of Roy's recruits and didn't like Self's tough style. I think Bruce Pearl is a smart enough guy to get into Padgett's head!.

Tennessee belongs in the Final 4.

See you there!

Rock Chalk and Go Vols!
 
#37
#37
In their two losses Louisville shot 4-18 and 4-19 for a combined % of 22%. And the games were still pretty close. In their last two wins, they shot 12-24 and 9-17 for a combined % of 51%. If we can hold them down from three, we should win.
 
#38
#38
I think we will be ready for this game and play well.

Bruce Pearl's style calls for emotion, intensity and hustle. When we were climbing the mountain, it was easy to bring that regularly... after we hit the top of the mountain (Memphis), it seems like we lost a little bit of the fire... and we haven't seen it again except for a few bursts. Even against Butler, which was a great team, we just didn't seem to have the intensity. My theory is because we just haven't had a big enough game (in the player's minds). There will be no overlooking Louisville, moreover, they are a name team which will really get our attention. Much easier to get up for Louisville in the Sweet 16 than it was to get up for South Carolina or Arkansas in the SEC tourney (given we'd beat them by an average of 20-30 points already) and American U in the NCAAs... So with the "getting up" comes being in a mind set that is necessary for us to really execute Pearl's system.

Our guys will be ready, Pearl will be ready. I fully expect to see us play with a hustle and passion that we haven't seen for over a month. Hopefully it will translate into a win.
 
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