Tennessee's Main Weakness . . .

#1
cbrown

cbrown

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#1
We don't have a guy in the 6'4" or taller range that can put the ball on the floor and take it to the basket or get into the lane and break the defense down. How many times did Smart do that today (even though I didn't notice us try to force him left at all)? Our guards have specialized skill sets, but none of them can consistently go at the basket. They are either too short (Bone, Turner) or not aggressive enough (Bowden). This team is a lot of fun to watch and could still have a tourney run in them, but teams with size can take away our best player. As much as we play a team game, and it's beautiful to watch when it's clicking, we don't have a guy that can create his own offense when things start to stall. AS can do this at times, but his preference is pulling up for the jumper instead of taking it to the basket. His handle is also very average. JMO.

Hopefully the James kid coming in can give us this facet. GBO!
 
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#3
#3
Valid point. Admiral and Bone should be driving consistently but tend to settle for jump shots or turn around fade-aways. At this point in the season, it's on the coaches for not demanding that.
 
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#4
#4
We lack a reliable back up PG.

Thankfully we have Josiah James coming in for the PG spot next year.
 
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#6
#6
cbrown said:
We don't have a guy in the 6'4" or taller range that can put the ball on the floor and take it to the basket or get into the lane and break the defense down. How many times did Smart do that today (even though I didn't notice us try to force him left at all)? Our guards have specialized skill sets, but none of them can consistently go at the basket. They are either too short (Bone, Turner) or not aggressive enough (Bowden). This team is a lot of fun to watch and could still have a tourney run in them, but teams with size can take away our best player. As much as we play a team game, and it's beautiful to watch when it's clicking, we don't have a guy that can create his own offense when things start to stall. AS can do this at times, but his preference is pulling up for the jumper instead of taking it to the basket. His handle is also very average. JMO.

Hopefully the James kid coming in can give us this facet. GBO!
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We haven’t been running any sets with an emphasis to get guys to the basket. We have guys who can score around the rim. Just have been in no man’s land of offense lately
 
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#10
#10
lostsheep said:
Hard to disagree with this. He started the season with some intensity but has trailed off considerably as of late. I tire of seeing him getting out-physicaled and getting his hands on the ball, only to have it ripped away from him.
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Seems like it happens 10 times a game doesn't it? I would start Fulkerson or Bowden or Walker or Pons over him
 
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#13
#13
Cartervol said:
Need better players. This team was playing good team ball early. They're not talented enough to beat more talented teams playing sloppy.
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Agree,the 3 games we have lost ( KS, UK, LSU) all have better talent than us. Just goes to show, talent is going to trump heart most of the time. We need some 5 stars, like J. james, to compete with the schools that are recruiting Top 10 -15 classes
 
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#15
#15
1985Vols said:
Agree,the 3 games we have lost ( KS, UK, LSU) all have better talent than us. Just goes to show, talent is going to trump heart most of the time. We need some 5 stars, like J. james, to compete with the schools that are recruiting Top 10 -15 classes
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We’re not going to get many 5* players from Duke & UK.

Not being negative but the blue bloods pretty much get any player they want.

Thankfully Josiah James decided to play for us.
 
#16
#16
hUTch2002 said:
I disagree. I think the overall team D is the main weakness. Kyle at least does help protect the rim and he gets a lot of double doubles. Is he the weakest of the starting 5? Sure I’ll go with that.
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Agree the d sucks, I don't agree he gets a lot of double doubles. He serves little to no purpose, looses rebounds, lets PGs tie him up on rebounds, passes on dunks he is just so soft.
 
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#17
#17
1985Vols said:
Agree,the 3 games we have lost ( KS, UK, LSU) all have better talent than us. Just goes to show, talent is going to trump heart most of the time. We need some 5 stars, like J. james, to compete with the schools that are recruiting Top 10 -15 classes
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Barnes is a good coach, but if we want to beat these type of teams the talent level has to go up. You don't find too many diamonds in the rough like Williams and Schofield.. Got to win some recruiting wars to have that type of team.
 
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#18
#18
volfanjustin said:
Seems like it happens 10 times a game doesn't it? I would start Fulkerson or Bowden or Walker or Pons over him
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Yes it does...one sequence from today had him getting an offensive rebound ripped away from him, turning and sprinting downcourt, and Vitale complimenting how hard he runs the floor. Speaks volumes about the abilities of both, imo.
 
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#19
#19
I think the potential is there for TN to be better next year if:
  1. Williams returns
  2. James is what we hope he is
 
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#20
#20
volfanjustin said:
Seems like it happens 10 times a game doesn't it? I would start Fulkerson or Bowden or Walker or Pons over him
Click to expand...

7 points, 6 rebounds, 3 for 3 from the field, 1 TO, 1 steal, 3 blocks. That's not bad. Is it world beating, no, but that is far from being the worst performance today.
 
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#22
#22
volfanjustin said:
Agree the d sucks, I don't agree he gets a lot of double doubles. He serves little to no purpose, looses rebounds, lets PGs tie him up on rebounds, passes on dunks he is just so soft.
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Looks like he has come up just short more than I thought. He only actually has 3 this year even though he’s averaging 8 and 7. Weird.

I do give him credit on one thing though. You said he passed on dunks but he had dunked balls this year that in the past he wouldn’t have. I think he has improved in that respect. He’s not a monster but we need him badly.
 
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#23
#23
whobethis16 said:
7 points, 6 rebounds, 3 for 3 from the field, 1 TO, 1 steal, 3 blocks. That's not bad. Is it world beating, no, but that is far from being the worst performance today.
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how many times did he let a guard tie him up for a rebound or let a pass slip through his hands or have a pass right under the goal in which he passed the ball back out? He is soft
 
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#24
#24
hUTch2002 said:
Looks like he has come up just short more than I thought. He only actually has 3 this year even though he’s averaging 8 and 7. Weird.

I do give him credit on one thing though. You said he passed on dunks but he had dunked balls this year that in the past he wouldn’t have. I think he has improved in that respect. He’s not a monster but we need him badly.
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with his height he needs to be a 10 and 10 guy, if he gets there we will be in the Final 4, if not bounced in the sweet 16
 
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#25
#25
I think UT fans got a little too hyped over this team and didn't want to see their weaknesses. I guess that's what fans do. The critics are likely right. UT is probably overrated. Doesn't take away from the fine year they've given us...actually it's a GREAT year by UT standards. We just have no big to take the heat off Grant and the bench is pretty much non existent. Got youth and projects but no real contributors this year at least. We're essentially a 6 man team and streaky at that.

I said earlier that we'd lose 2 and maybe 3 more games. I still believe that will be the case and we drop 2 or 3 more. I think we probably go down in our first game of the SECT and end up a 3 or 4 seed. The committee will look at our late season fade and likely punish us for that. Still, that's still a pretty darned good seeding for UT and if we can get rested and Turner/Bowden break out of their funk at the right time, we can still make some noise in the tournament. Might make the sweet 16 if we can avoid this years cinderella and don't draw a team with length or a dominant big man. If someone had told me we'd only lose 6 games this year and be a top 5 seed in the NCAAT, I'd have taken it in a heartbeat. Teams now have a read on us. Our weaknesses have been exposed. From here on out, it's all about matchups. Maybe we get lucky....maybe not. Still the team and staff have given all they could. Right now it's not enough to beat the better teams, but that's basketball.
 
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