The Official #24 Tennessee vs. #13 LSU Game Thread, 6:00 PM ET, ESPN

[YankeeVol]

#24 Tennessee Volunteers: 12-5 (3-3 SEC)

vs.

#13 LSU Tigers: 15-3 (3-3 SEC)

GAME 18 | TENNESSEE vs. LSU - Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022 | 6:05 p.m. ET | Thompson-Boling Arena (21,678)

Line: UT -5.5
O/U: 132.5

TV: ESPN / Watch
Radio: Vol Network / Listen
Satellite Radio: Sirius: 84 / XM: 84 / Internet: ---
Online: Watch ESPN app


LSU Game Notes

 

[YankeeVol]

THE SERIES

• Tennessee leads the all-time series with LSU, 65-50, dating to 1933.
• The Vols hold a 31-18 edge when the series is contested in Knoxville.
• Tennessee is a perfect 9-0 at home this season and is riding a 10-game win streak at Thompson-Boling Arena dating to last season.
• LSU and Tennessee boast the nation's No. 1- and No. 5-rated KenPom defensive efficiencies, respectively.
• In three career games vs. LSU, Santiago Vescovi is shooting .500 (12-for-24) from 3-point range and averaging 15.0 points.
• The Vols are forcing an average of 19.0 turnovers per game during SEC play. The next-closest SEC team (LSU) forces 16.8 per game.

 

[YankeeVol]

LAYUP LINES - TEAM

• In 2017-18, Tennessee owned a 12-5 (3-3) record six games into SEC play—identical to where this year's team stands currently. Those 2017-18 Vols went on to post a 13-5 league finish en route to the SEC Championship.
• Saturday marks Tennessee's seventh game this season against an AP top-25 opponent. The Vols are 2-4 vs. top-25 foes thus far.
• According to KenPom, the Vols rank fifth in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency, allowing only 88.5 points per 100 possessions.
• The Vols rank among the Division I top 20 in steals per game (10.5, 7th), turnover margin (+5.6, 7th) and assists per game (16.9, 20th).
• Tennessee has pulled down 10 or more offensive rebounds in each of its last 10 games.
• In each of UT's three SEC wins, the Vols have forced more than 20 turnovers.
• 42 percent of Tennessee's points this season have been scored by first-year Vols (532 of 1276).

 

[YankeeVol]

LAYUP LINES - PLAYERS

• Santiago Vescovi has increased his team-leading 14.0 ppg scoring average to 15.3 ppg in SEC play.
• Vescovi's 3.17 3-point makes per game during SEC play lead the league.
• Josiah-Jordan James played just 3:57 at Vanderbilt Tuesday before leaving the game due to injury. His status for Saturday is uncertain.
• Kennedy Chandler's 2.44 steals per game lead all Division I true freshmen. And his 4.9 assists per game rank third among true freshmen nationally.
• Chandler's 3.4 steals per game during SEC play lead the league.
• The SEC record for career games played is 152, held by Kentucky's Darius Miller (2008-12). John Fulkerson is closing in, having now appeared in a Tennessee-record 147 career games.
• Fulkerson also is just six points shy of 1,000 for his career.

 

[YankeeVol]

ABOUT LSU

• For the first time this season, LSU (15-3, 3-3 SEC) is coming off of two consecutive losses. The Tigers fell at home to Arkansas last Saturday before losing again at Alabama on Wednesday.
• Including Saturday's game in Knoxville, each of LSU's first seven games have come against teams ranked in the top seven of the SEC Preseason Media Poll.
• Saturday's game is a matchup of two of the nation's top five rated defenses in adjusted efficiency, according to KenPom. LSU's defense ranks No. 1, allowing just 81.3 points per 100 possessions, while Tennessee is No. 5 with a 88.5 mark.
• The Tigers' leading scorer is sophomore forward Tari Eason, a transfer from Cincinnati. Averaging 16.0 points per game, Eason currently ranks sixth in the SEC in scoring. Eason led the Tigers with 24 points and 12 rebounds during Tennessee and LSU's first meeting on Jan. 8 in Baton Rouge.
• LSU has played its last three games without starting point guard and third-leading scorer Xavier Pinson, who was injured in the first meeting between the Tigers and Vols. Before getting injured, Pinson started all 15 of LSU's games and was averaging 10.9 points and 4.6 assists in 27 minutes per game.
• LSU was also without senior forward Darius Days, a Preseason First Team All-SEC selection, for the majority of Wednesday's loss at Alabama. Days exited the game due to injury late in the first half and did not return. Days is the Tigers' second-leading scorer (13.5 ppg) and leading rebounder (7.3 rpg).

 

[orangemadam]

VOLS could use a big win here!!

Let's take advantage of the home crowd and LSU's "mini-slump"" and get back in the conference race!

GBO!!

 

[1985Vols]

Hear an interview with Baby Face Will Wade yesterday where he said he expects Days to play but does not expect Pinson back yet. Vols need to win this one for sure

 

[HippieVol33]

Don’t expect a win in this one. When we beat Wade I’ll have to see it to believe it. Regardless, GBO!

 

[chuckb1448]

I want to win just because of Whiney Wade.... well, and I'm a Volunteer!

Go Big Orange

 

[PEPPERJAX]

Let's fuggin go! GBO!!!!

 

[bleedingTNorange]

Vols -5??? Vegas must be thinking no Pinson or Days for LSU.

 

[camp_steveo]

It's time for the Vols to play their best basketball of the year thus far. Hope it happens.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Vols -5??? Vegas must be thinking no Pinson or Days for LSU.

Also, TN hit some free throws at Vandy. At LSU they were 23/37 (62%) and 6/24 from the 3PL. Keep playing defense like about every game not at Rupp and shoot near an average percentage and Muffin Top WW has a pouty day.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Minutes played by Mashack and Bailey and how they’re distributed to the 4 posts will be interesting. Also, assuming he’s near 100%, will JJJ play more 3 or 4?

 

[VolPack22]

Ready to finally beat that jackarse and get the monkey of our back. Can’t stand that cheater. He is the most hated coach in the SEC across all sports imo.

 

[mr.checkerboards]

Vols -5??? Vegas must be thinking no Pinson or Days for LSU.

I was surprised as well, I was hoping for -2.... Im going to wait a bit and see if it gets bet down by the public.

 

[vol94]

I was surprised as well, I was hoping for -2.... Im going to wait a bit and see if it gets bet down by the public.

You think Vols win?

 

[bleedingTNorange]

Minutes played by Mashack and Bailey and how they’re distributed to the 4 posts will be interesting. Also, assuming he’s near 100%, will JJJ play more 3 or 4?

Majority of JJJ’s minutes recently have come at the 4, I would assume that continues.

 

[87&91ALUM]

Play well and win. Hoping we get fair officiating today but, not holding my breath. When it’s over, look at free throws made, turnovers, and three pointers as the key stats. I thought those were the stats that beat Vandy.

 

[W.TN.Orange Blood]

It's time for the Vols to play their best basketball of the year thus far. Hope it happens.

 

[CAVPUT]

Don’t expect a win in this one. When we beat Wade I’ll have to see it to believe it. Regardless, GBO!

He's become the hoops version of the UF football game only they're more athletic than we are and much more physical. One would think we'd have a home court advantage, but something tells me the league office will assign an officiating crew to offset that advantage. Given our strength is in our backcourt, ordinarily I'd want to see us push the pace....yeah I know that's something we strangely don't do that much. In addition, LSU is athletic enough to handle it. So, I'm with you. I don't like the match up. Maybe we find that chemistry we had early in the year and take it? Stranger things have happened.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Majority of JJJ’s minutes recently have come at the 4, I would assume that continues.

He’s been starting at the 3 and at LSU the 4 posts played 67 minutes. 55 versus USC and 59 at KY. It’s pretty fluid.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

He’s been starting at the 3 and at LSU the 4 posts played 67 minutes. 55 versus USC and 59 at KY. It’s pretty fluid.

If you do the math majority of his minutes last 5 games (obviously not Vandy) has been at the 4.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

If you do the math majority of his minutes last 5 games (obviously not Vandy) has been at the 4.

The 4 posts played 68 minutes at Bama.

 

[volinbama256]

Maybe Barnes will wake up, get outa the chair and coach today... Would be good to see the Vols finally start to play with some confidence and gel as a team, which they should be by now, but have been clearly regressing. Just keep it close is all I'd ask at this point.