The Official #19 Tennessee vs. #13 Memphis Game Thread

[Caculator]

Our guys can't be perfect although they are always entertaining. Pember's attempt to throw down from the foul line made my night, even though we didn't get the W.

 

[TeddyYeti]

Today was a classic example of good coaching versus very good players.

Our guys were outmatched, yet Barnes was able to put us in an excellent position to win. Ultimately, the talented young guys from Memphis were able to beat inferior athletes.

It honestly makes me even more confident in Barnes going into the future. Memphis is a team of ballers. We have good players, but Memphis simply has more.

We’ll be ok.

Give us a chance to rebuild right? We lost a lot of players from last year.

 

[edyeary]

Losing to Memphis is disgusting regardless.

 

[TeddyYeti]

Losing to Memphis is disgusting regardless.

Ill agree with that any day of the year. Still you have to give the devil his due. Memphis had the #1 recruting class in America.

 

[sport3500]

A real defensive slug fest today and Pember looks like he will be a terrific player in the future.

The crowd was amped up and terrific.

 

[cobbwebb0710]

I didn't really feel like we were outmatched, except inside maybe. We missed shots, an easy dunk, and a crucial front-end of a one-and-one.

I don’t care to say it, we lost this game more than Memphis won it. That was a terrible performance. Our two top guns were no shows, Pons gave very little, James played well for about the first 10 minutes and then disappeared. Pember, Gaines and the kid with the name I have no idea how to say, let alone spell, tried but were outmatched. Fulky had a decent game. It may not have been Barnes’ finest moment, but in no way do I think he was out coached. Barnes will use this as a teaching moment and we’ll bounce back. If anyone has watched college basketball up to this point, I don’t think you can really point to one team and say, that is a dominant team. I hate Memphis with a passion and this loss stings but we’ll live to fight another day!
GBO!!

 

[EarthBoundMisfit]

It's a shame that a mid-major with a bad coach and their best player suspended by the NCAA will possibly end our streak because we can't throw a beach ball into a swimming pool.

Memphis was missing guard Lester Quinones too....broken hand. So they were down their 2 best players.

 

[orangemadam]

Yep. We were down our 2 best also. - Turner and Bowden.

 

[cobbwebb0710]

I don’t care to say it, we lost this game more than Memphis won it. That was a terrible performance. Our two top guns were no shows, Pons gave very little, James played well for about the first 10 minutes and then disappeared. Pember, Gaines and the kid with the name I have no idea how to say, let alone spell, tried but were outmatched. Fulky had a decent game. It may not have been Barnes’ finest moment, but in no way do I think he was out coached. Barnes will use this as a teaching moment and we’ll bounce back. If anyone has watched college basketball up to this point, I don’t think you can really point to one team and say, that is a dominant team. I hate Memphis with a passion and this loss stings but we’ll live to fight another day!
GBO!!

I have no idea how I posted this twice, an hour apart?? Sorry!
GBO!!

 

[Alex10]

Ill agree with that any day of the year. Still you have to give the devil his due. Memphis had the #1 recruting class in America.

A huge reason why they had the number 1 recruiting class was because they got the number 1 recruit in America who did not play today. They have a good team though.

 

[KB5252]

Huh? True freshmen? If Turner and Bowden play mediocre, it’s a win.

Their freshmen beat ours, if we depend on those two alone it will be a long year. We need to get the younger players up to speed, if they were better prepared we might win that game. Turner and Bowden are notoriously streaky.

 

[kiddiedoc]

Turner and Bowden are notoriously streaky.

You always knew Williams and Bone would bring their game, and Admiral asserted himself when needed and played with heart. This team is struggling for an identity, and the door is open for James, Pons, etc to step up. JJJ showed a flash today, and that's a positive. If I'm a high-level recruit, I'm licking my chops on the prospect of becoming an immediate star.

 

[BowlBrother85]

We will get our ass spanked at Cincy if we play like that again.

I don't know... they have issues of their own. They just lost to Colgate.

 

[lvocd]

Something came up that forced me to miss the game, and after reading this thread I believe I’ll rethink my plan to watch my recording of it. It’s probably better for everyone — team, coaches, family, friends, fans — to simply put this debacle of a game into the garbage and walk away. There really is nothing to be gained from discussing it or even giving it a place in our memories.

Next game is almost guaranteed to be better. It HAS to be. Go Vols!

 

[Schasz]

Vols shooting was bad. Memphis gets some credit but there were enough open shots that did not go down to get the win. Still have hope UT gets enough W's to get in the NCAA Tourney.

 

[JohnWardForever]

Where is Pons?

Clanking a Potential Game trying free throw.

 

[Roustabout]

Give us a chance to rebuild right? We lost a lot of players from last year.

It would have been less rebuilding if Barnes had sent Kent down the road much earlier and not had some bad misses on post players. Walker, Blackshear, Burns. It looks like the spotlight is too big for Bowden and Turner.
However, It looks like we’ll be crazy deep and talented next year, but you’re still breaking in a lot of new, young players.

 

[wmcovol]

Yesterday’s game was lost 2 yrs ago with no recruiting.

 

[Roustabout]

Yesterday’s game was lost 2 yrs ago with no recruiting.

True. You have to applaud what Barnes has done this year, but man, this roster is patch work right now. Their defense will keep them in games but I’m starting to see this as an 18 win team.

 

[Roustabout]

Wow, just looked at the stats. That was horrible.
I think several posters, after some poor shooting games, said we wouldnt have another night like that. They were right. It was worse.


Between Turner, Bowden Johnson, James and Gaines there were only seven baskets made. That is wretched.
The team was 4-26 from three. There is no way in hell this team has earned the right to take 26 threes in a game. On top of that the post players were equally as bad. They were badly out rebounded.
Overall, a terrible effort. Their only saving grace is they apparently have the ability to make their opponent play unwatchable Kevin O’Neil ball.

 

[KB5252]

You always knew Williams and Bone would bring their game, and Admiral asserted himself when needed and played with heart. This team is struggling for an identity, and the door is open for James, Pons, etc to step up. JJJ showed a flash today, and that's a positive. If I'm a high-level recruit, I'm licking my chops on the prospect of becoming an immediate star.

They're support players forced into lead roles. The point I was attempting to make is if we are to have any form of success this year or young players are going to have to play large roles, I feel like they were brought along slowly but the time has come to have discussions with two or three of them, ask them to step up.

 

[VolsSportsFan]

Yesterday’s game was lost 2 yrs ago with no recruiting.

It was lost becuase we couldn't hit shots. When you miss point blank shots and wide open looks, you're going to lose. Recruiting 2 years ago had jack squat to do with the loss. Any of the 3 no shows does anything offensively, we win and probably win easily.

 

[wmcovol]

It was lost becuase we couldn't hit shots. When you miss point blank shots and wide open looks, you're going to lose. Recruiting 2 years ago had jack squat to do with the loss. Any of the 3 no shows does anything offensively, we win and probably win easily.

This is the 2nd game “we couldn’t hit shots” & lost. They’re both against teams with length both on the perimeter and inside. I predict they’ll be many more. Lack of consistent inside play really hurts when shots aren’t falling. Neither Turner or Bowden have ever been consistent shooters even when they were not the focus of the defense. Now you’re expecting them to suddenly be that at the same time they are drawing defensive focus of the opposition. The program has basically 2 classes where Pons is the only contributor.

 

[VolsSportsFan]

This is the 2nd game “we couldn’t hit shots” & lost. They’re both against teams with length both on the perimeter and inside. I predict they’ll be many more. Lack of consistent inside play really hurts when shots aren’t falling. Neither Turner or Bowden have ever been consistent shooters even when they were not the focus of the defense. Now you’re expecting them to suddenly be that at the same time they are drawing defensive focus of the opposition. The program has basically 2 classes where Pons is the only contributor.

Turner was missing wide freakin open shots. In one sequence he missed back to back wide open 3 pointers. Turner also missed several layups. JJJ missed an easy dunk. Yes, I expect them to hit those, and those were the difference.

 

[Vols All Day]

Didn’t see anyone mention that it looks like JJJ adjusted his shot, he didn’t seem to have the same motion in his lower body.