It seems like whenever Tennessee loses in Basketball (even before Barnes)

#1
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volbound1700

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#1
It is related to poor shooting. I have seen so many games where Tennessee loses because they cannot hit 3 pointers. Perhaps it is good defense, I don't know.

I agree with another thread that the Roster was just not setup right. No dominate center, no outside shooting threat, weak PG play. The players seemed to try hard but they lacked confident with regard to shooting and they had no offensive talent.

This is why I don't see Springer or Thompson making it in NBA. Both should stay a year (but if NBA $$$ comes calling, I can't blame them for leaving).

Barnes needs to recruit a big Center and a talented outside shooting threat.
 
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#3
#3
volbound1700 said:
It is related to poor shooting. I have seen so many games where Tennessee loses because they cannot hit 3 pointers. Perhaps it is good defense, I don't know.

I agree with another thread that the Roster was just not setup right. No dominate center, no outside shooting threat, weak PG play. The players seemed to try hard but they lacked confident with regard to shooting and they had no offensive talent.

This is why I don't see Springer or Thompson making it in NBA. Both should stay a year (but if NBA $$$ comes calling, I can't blame them for leaving).

Barnes needs to recruit a big Center and a talented outside shooting threat.
Click to expand...

Thompson isn’t ready for the NBA.
 
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#5
#5
volbound1700 said:
It is related to poor shooting. I have seen so many games where Tennessee loses because they cannot hit 3 pointers. Perhaps it is good defense, I don't know.

I agree with another thread that the Roster was just not setup right. No dominate center, no outside shooting threat, weak PG play. The players seemed to try hard but they lacked confident with regard to shooting and they had no offensive talent.

This is why I don't see Springer or Thompson making it in NBA. Both should stay a year (but if NBA $$$ comes calling, I can't blame them for leaving).

Barnes needs to recruit a big Center and a talented outside shooting threat.
Click to expand...

The game in 2021 requires the following:

1. Athletic, quick PG
2. Shooting
3. More shooting
4. Defensive scheme to guard the 3 point shot
5. Athletic rim protecting bigs

Not sure we had any of that this year (Pons comes close to point #5 but doesnt rebound well enough to check off that box)
 
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#9
#9
I've seen several theories on here about what happened. I think some have merit. Here's mine.

There were times this year, such as the first Mizzou game, that the Vols looked absolutely fantastic. We had 5 outstanding guards, 2 of them possible lottery picks. But the only reliable inside scoring threat was Fulky. When he was healthy, we were really good, but for much of the season he wasn't. Starting in early January, his energy was clearly lacking, for whatever reason. He wasn't the same as he was last year, or even in December. When his inside scoring threat was gone, our outside game suffered as well. He seemed to be getting it back in late February, especially the 2 Florida games. That's when we looked like a team that could make a deep run. Then it was gone with one elbow swing.

It was Florida that knocked us out of both the SEC and NCAA tournaments.
 
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#10
#10
BigOrangeMojo said:
The game in 2021 requires the following:

1. Athletic, quick PG
2. Shooting
3. More shooting
4. Defensive scheme to guard the 3 point shot
5. Athletic rim protecting bigs

Not sure we had any of that this year (Pons comes close to point #5 but doesnt rebound well enough to check off that box)
Click to expand...

How much of these shortcomings (if any), do you think, are a symptom of Coach Barnes’ philosophy and the resulting approach to recruiting?

I am trying to figure out what the disconnect is with Barnes and this program. While I am thankful to have a team that’s competitive on a fairly consistent basis (not exactly common in UT men’s basketball history outside of a couple of exceptions), it just feels like Barnes isn’t going to get an SEC Tournament championship or a Final Four type of success. Hope I’m wrong, but man ...
 
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#11
#11
volbound1700 said:
It is related to poor shooting. I have seen so many games where Tennessee loses because they cannot hit 3 pointers. Perhaps it is good defense, I don't know.

I agree with another thread that the Roster was just not setup right. No dominate center, no outside shooting threat, weak PG play. The players seemed to try hard but they lacked confident with regard to shooting and they had no offensive talent.

This is why I don't see Springer or Thompson making it in NBA. Both should stay a year (but if NBA $$$ comes calling, I can't blame them for leaving).

Barnes needs to recruit a big Center and a talented outside shooting threat.
Click to expand...
Both Johnson and Springer have shown enough defensive prowess and athleticism to be effective on an NBA roster. Johnson because of his ability to finish at the rim, draw fouls, and play solid defense is going to be a lottery pick and play next year in the NBA. Springer hasn’t shown as much so far (aside from better shooting and handles) so his decision is weighing whether he will have a better chance at making a roster through playing in G League or college next year. For Johnson he has shown a strong enough mid range shot to be able to train up to a consistent 3 like Grant Williams has done in less than a year. He’s going to get guaranteed money as a lottery pick and will develop more as an NBA player than as a college player, so it’s a no brainer for him to jump.
 
#14
#14
BigOrangeMojo said:
The game in 2021 requires the following:

1. Athletic, quick PG
2. Shooting
3. More shooting
4. Defensive scheme to guard the 3 point shot
5. Athletic rim protecting bigs

Not sure we had any of that this year (Pons comes close to point #5 but doesnt rebound well enough to check off that box)
Click to expand...
In general, this is correct. But there are teams like Zaga and Kansas that do both. Main thing is having an identity and doing that exceptionally well. Look at Texas Tech last year...Great D and inside game. I watch alot of Nova and when they go cold on 3's, it's painful to watch, but usually, they catch fire and 3's close the gap quickly.

Chandler appears to be the true PG that we've been lacking. Question is, who's going to be on the team. If Johnson and Springer go, along w/ Pons and Fulk, I don't know that we're set up to have an improved year w/ Chandler, JJJ, Vescovi, etc. If one of the frosh come back, that could make a big diff. Of both of them, I'd say Springer has biggest probability to come back, to build his resume to a lottery range.
 
#15
#15
Orangeblooded615 said:
Could have gotten revenge on Loyola Chicago. Thing would have lined up perfect for us in the bracket if we didn't get in our own way.
Click to expand...
Yeah, for some reason, I felt, before we exited, that if we got past Oregon St, that we'd do better against Ok St. For whatever reason, we seem to give the Kansas' or Colorado's of the world a better game than lower seeds. All 64 teams can beat most anyone on any given day if the other team doesn't bring their "A" game...which we didn't...so, we lost.
 
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#16
#16
macrovol said:
I've seen several theories on here about what happened. I think some have merit. Here's mine.

There were times this year, such as the first Mizzou game, that the Vols looked absolutely fantastic. We had 5 outstanding guards, 2 of them possible lottery picks. But the only reliable inside scoring threat was Fulky. When he was healthy, we were really good, but for much of the season he wasn't. Starting in early January, his energy was clearly lacking, for whatever reason. He wasn't the same as he was last year, or even in December. When his inside scoring threat was gone, our outside game suffered as well. He seemed to be getting it back in late February, especially the 2 Florida games. That's when we looked like a team that could make a deep run. Then it was gone with one elbow swing.

It was Florida that knocked us out of both the SEC and NCAA tournaments.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I wish that UF POS would never play a basketball game again outside of a pick up game. He knew exactly what he was doing when he elbowed Fulky to knock him out of the game. That was as dirty of a play as I have seen outside of stupid azz Haynesworth's ridiculous stomp. He also should have been borrowed from NFL without another penny for life instantly!!!
 
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#17
#17
macrovol said:
I've seen several theories on here about what happened. I think some have merit. Here's mine.

There were times this year, such as the first Mizzou game, that the Vols looked absolutely fantastic. We had 5 outstanding guards, 2 of them possible lottery picks. But the only reliable inside scoring threat was Fulky. When he was healthy, we were really good, but for much of the season he wasn't. Starting in early January, his energy was clearly lacking, for whatever reason. He wasn't the same as he was last year, or even in December. When his inside scoring threat was gone, our outside game suffered as well. He seemed to be getting it back in late February, especially the 2 Florida games. That's when we looked like a team that could make a deep run. Then it was gone with one elbow swing.

It was Florida that knocked us out of both the SEC and NCAA tournaments.
Click to expand...
We were set to beat Bama and thump Oregon State. But thanks to Omar Payne.....that went all to sh!t breaking Fulkerson’s face. His 10 points a game...plus his lack of presence in the paint to draw defenders on offense is why Orgeron St. sat clogging the lanes preventing us to drive to the rim. Pls six is as useful as a s#!t flavored lollipop. O-St’s big had the game of his life with him guarding him.
 
#20
#20
volbound1700 said:
It is related to poor shooting. I have seen so many games where Tennessee loses because they cannot hit 3 pointers. Perhaps it is good defense, I don't know.

I agree with another thread that the Roster was just not setup right. No dominate center, no outside shooting threat, weak PG play. The players seemed to try hard but they lacked confident with regard to shooting and they had no offensive talent.

This is why I don't see Springer or Thompson making it in NBA. Both should stay a year (but if NBA $$$ comes calling, I can't blame them for leaving).

Barnes needs to recruit a big Center and a talented outside shooting threat.
Click to expand...

I just don't think they give a damn
 
#23
#23
They both are no where near ready for nba. I mean they are decent for freshmen. But not good enough for all ncaa. Or sec freshmen of the year. Maybe next year or the next they can progress if they get more experience.
 
#24
#24
Newsflash: Today’s game is played beyond the arc. And the problem with relying on outside shots is this: You look unbeatable when those shots are falling...and absolutely inept when they aren’t. And no team stays hot outside forever.

But, I agree with you, OP, in that it pays to be balanced so you have other scoring options when you aren’t making 3s. As many have pointed out, Vols just had nothing inside to make up for bad shooting nights.

But finding competent big men is getting harder and harder to do given the way the modern game is played.
 
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