The Official #1 Tennessee @ #8 Florida Game Thread, 7:00 PM ET, ESPN2

[IndianaVol]

Credit John Calipari here...he once stated "I will lose every single game in December and January if it means winning them all in March.".
It's one game - were there things that need corrected? Sure
Did the team play with no effort / fire? Sure
Should we set the rest of the season's course based on last night? NO

 

[TheMookieMonster]

Everyone keeps saying this...and I just want to remind people of those games where Dalton was cold.

SEC Tournament vs Miss State: 4 of 17 FG, 2 of 9 from 3, 14 points (4 at FT)
vs Kansas: 4 of 17 FG, 1 of 6 from 3, 13 points (4 at FT)
NCAA Tournament vs Texas: 5 of 18, 1 of 8 from 3, 18 points (7 at FT)

Texas was the only one we won.

It's a long season and every scorer has cold nights. Last night was just the first for Chaz really.

I’m really not concerned about Chaz at all. I think people nitpicking Chaz are concerned about the wrong things. He’ll have some off nights, it happens. If someone is knocking the guy that has averaged 20.4 PPG before last night, your frustrations are placed in the wrong direction.

I am concerned, however, about how poor the rest of this team shoots. People were so quick to knock JJJ and Santi last year for their shooting last year, some going as far as complaining about them returning for a 5th year.

Well….Santi shot 32.6% from 3 and JJJ shot 34.1%. Right now, ZZ is at 28.7% and Igor is at 24% from 3.

It’s early in conference play, but it’s technically the midpoint of the season and both of them are struggling to put the ball through the hoop. Chaz is going to have off nights. But we have to find someone else who can score and support him.

 

[MoCo_Vol]

I’m really not concerned about Chaz at all. I think people nitpicking Chaz are concerned about the wrong things. He’ll have some off nights, it happens. If someone is knocking the guy that has averaged 20.4 PPG before last night, your frustrations are placed in the wrong direction.

I am concerned, however, about how poor the rest of this team shoots. People were so quick to knock JJJ and Santi last year for their shooting last year, some going as far as complaining about them returning for a 5th year.

Well….Santi shot 32.6% from 3 and JJJ shot 34.1%. Right now, ZZ is at 28.7% and Igor is at 24% from 3.

It’s early in conference play, but it’s technically the midpoint of the season and both of them are struggling to put the ball through the hoop. Chaz is going to have off nights. But we have to find someone else who can score and support him.

Yeah, I don't know what's up with Igor... unlike ZZ he's 6'10" and getting clean looks most of his attempts.

Hell Dubar at 25% isn't good either, considering he takes more shots per game than Mashack.

We don't need elite 3pt shooting though, our best offensive team under Barnes was 18-19 and only Admiral shot over 40% from deep. I don't expect Felix or Igor to be Grant, because he was an elite inside scorer but if they could be a bit better that would help.

Last night was a fluke though, we were shooting cold, refs weren't calling much (especially first half) and being in a deep hole we kept shooting deep shots to try and get back in it. Hell some of Chaz's misses were uncalled fouls.

 

[MoCo_Vol]

In truth the one thing I'm most concern about is allowing Florida 49 rebounds to our 34. That's the first time all season any team has grabbed more than 35 against us.

But Florida is the only team in the SEC with 4 6'9" or taller post players...I think they had 3 on the court together at one point even. They're THE best rebounding team in the NCAA...

 

[TheMookieMonster]

We don't need elite 3pt shooting though, our best offensive team under Barnes was 18-19 and only Admiral shot over 40% from deep. I don't expect Felix or Igor to be Grant, because he was an elite inside scorer but if they could be a bit better that would help.

Last night was a fluke though, we were shooting cold, refs weren't calling much (especially first half) and being in a deep hole we kept shooting deep shots to try and get back in it. Hell some of Chaz's misses were uncalled fouls.

I see your point, but personally I think this team does need elite 3 point shooting to be great. We’ve shot a solid % from 2 before last night, but I don’t think anyone believes our strength is playing inside-out. Okpara is limited in the post.

I guess we’ll see if this game was simply a fluke over the next few weeks, but I do think some of our flaws have been exposed and I’m interested to see if Barnes can couch around those. Mostly, we need to get healthy as you suggested earlier. Cade clearly wasn’t as effective last night as normal and Mashack, while limited in his offensive capabilities generally, he is clearly bothered by his finger.

We already only have 9 players available. Both of those guys being hobbled makes the offense a slog right now. We need them to be effective.

 

[BleedOrange81]

You miss the joke?

Nope..The joke is the fact you even brought up that clown

 

[MoCo_Vol]

I see your point, but personally I think this team does need elite 3 point shooting to be great. We’ve shot a solid % from 2 before last night, but I don’t think anyone believes our strength is playing inside-out. Okpara is limited in the post.

I guess we’ll see if this game was simply a fluke over the next few weeks, but I do think some of our flaws have been exposed and I’m interested to see if Barnes can couch around those. Mostly, we need to get healthy as you suggested earlier. Cade clearly wasn’t as effective last night as normal and Mashack, while limited in his offensive capabilities generally, he is clearly bothered by his finger.

We already only have 9 players available. Both of those guys being hobbled makes the offense a slog right now. We need them to be effective.

Elite 3 point shooting is 40%+ as a team (to me)

I agree we're gonna have to be good shooting the 3 ball, but hell last night we add 15 points if we just shoot 32% from deep (which is still below the season averages).

Hell just shooting on our averages, doing nothing different we score 73 last night. It really came down to our inability to make shots more than anything else.

 

[Rocky Top T]

Gaines averages twice as many points. I know this likely to change as we enter SEC.

Correct, he will not score as much in SEC

 

[BernardKingGOAT]

Barnes knows what is going on and is not going to share it with the media

Nothing's "going on". Of course, nothing was going in and that's why we lost

 

[THEONLYTENISEE]

Correct, he will not score as much in SEC

Shack is averaging next to nothing in SEC. The thought is it plays into our history of scoring droughts.

 

[The Tall Gguy]

Hopefully they learned something and can be better going forward.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Cade Phillips needs to get healthy ASAP. He’s our most capable scorer in the paint. At least unless Igor or Dubar step up.

His shoulder being an issue all season is my biggest concern. Even if he doesn’t add 10 plus points, he draws attention from defenses keeping them from giving up defending the paint for more focus on the perimeter and guards cutting to the rim.

 

[stephenpe]

We held the #3 offensive efficiency rated offense in the country to their lowest number of points this season. 15 pts below their average. Less than 40% from FG. That requires effort. We didn’t quit as you suggested. It was ugly to be sure. But to suggest they quit, based on track record is flat out disrespectful as a fan in my opinion.

I did not see UT quit at all. FLa just wanted it more and UT could not hit their ass with their hand. Fla's bigs were after it all night and UF's bench guards showed how good they are. One game in January means nothing in the long run. The SEC is beyond belief in all the good teams now. I hope we don't beat each other senseless like they did in football...... Too many games and then the SEC tournament. its crazy. UT is the toughest def. UF has faced all year. They play physical and quick. ITs crazy now it ain't home and home anymore. UK does not come to Gville and we don't come back to Knoxville I hear.

 

[adam.vol]

The way we played, they could have fouled out all but 4 Florida players, and we still weren’t winning that game. To even mention the referees after a game like that is beyond ridiculous.

I imagine you are the type who has never once taken accountability for anything you’ve ever done wrong.

No. I’m the type that doesn’t omit facts and run from the truth. I have to fix my mistakes at work and at home and I don’t like to repeat them because I incorrectly diagnosed the problem.

You seem like the type that expects others to fix things so you don’t care how accurate your understanding of the problem may be.

 

[LegionnaireOfTheMiserable]

No. I’m the type that doesn’t omit facts and run from the truth. I have to fix my mistakes at work and at home and I don’t like to repeat them because I incorrectly diagnosed the problem.

You seem like the type that expects others to fix things so you don’t care how accurate your understanding of the problem may be.

Are you honestly trying to sit here and blame the referees for us putting on the worst shooting performance any team in the country has had this entire century while also claiming that someone else doesn’t understand the problem with last night? Holy shít, the arrogance and delusion coming from you are unreal.

 

[The Tall Gguy]

Refs were to blame for a lot, but missing shots and getting out hustled, out hearted, and out toughed was not on the refs.

 

[deezvols]

Nope..The joke is the fact you even brought up that clown

Yes, that was part of the joke.

 

[first time caller]

Credit John Calipari here...he once stated "I will lose every single game in December and January if it means winning them all in March.".
It's one game - were there things that need corrected? Sure
Did the team play with no effort / fire? Sure
Should we set the rest of the season's course based on last night? NO

Agree. I'm betting Barnes hated being ranked no. 1. To credit another coach...rat poison. Get this game out of everyone's head with a win at Texas. Lets see how Auburn handles the poison.

 

[adam.vol]

Are you honestly trying to sit here and blame the referees for us putting on the worst shooting performance any team in the country has had this entire century while also claiming that someone else doesn’t understand the problem with last night? Holy shít, the arrogance and delusion coming from you are unreal.

Are you honestly still trying to fabricate an argument to argue against? The refereeing was terrible. It does not have to relate to TN’s performance. You are the only one in this conversation trying to link those two entities of that game.

 

[The Tall Gguy]

So.....
Tennessee is the ONLY division 1 team this century to shoot 30% or worse on two pointers, 15% or worse on three pointers, and 60% or worse on free throws in a single game.
This wa your #1 ranked team in the nation. And you wonder why BVS exists.