Was not worried when ZZ went out.

[LivinginthePast]

I remember the second Florida game. Dude Gainey can handle all the heat and then some. He is a beast. I trust him with everything. Ball handling. He’s got a good run up 15 footer.

It was one of many reasons we held off the tide. We have some freaking ballers. Just hope we can make a run soon. Go vols !!!!’

 

[OrangeInKy]

Well I was worried enough for us both

 

[Unconditional Surrender]

I remember the second Florida game. Dude Gainey can handle all the heat and then some. He is a beast. I trust him with everything. Ball handling. He’s got a good run up 15 footer.

It was one of many reasons we held off the tide. We have some freaking ballers. Just hope we can make a run soon. Go vols !!!!’

Agree. I love ZZ but we are still a very competent team w/o him.

 

[All Vol!]

Jimmy Dykes couldn’t stop flapping his gums about how Tennessee is supposedly in big trouble without ZZ, or at least that’s what his tone suggested. Someone needed to remind him we were missing ZZ as well as Igor the entire game when we laid the wood to FL by 20.

 

[vol94]

Gainey accepts the challenge when ZZ is not in the game. I think he actually thrives on the pressure.

 

[OrangeInKy]

Agree. I love ZZ but we are still a very competent team w/o him.

That wasn't the only reason I was worried, I was worried at the way the game was being called and that we'd have serious issues later in the game with guys in foul trouble, that's what set me off about the second foul that was called on him. I was worried Gainey would pick up 2-3 before the half too based on the whistle.

 

[VolCalls]

Jimmy Dykes couldn’t stop flapping his gums about how Tennessee is supposedly in big trouble without ZZ, or at least that’s what his tone suggested. Someone needed to remind him we were missing ZZ as well as Igor the entire game when we laid the wood to FL by 20.

Any normal fan in America would think we were in trouble without our All-SEC and senior captain point guard. Hell, I thought the same thing when he picked up his 2nd foul. You can’t look yourself in the mirror and honestly say you felt no concerns when he picked up his 2nd foul less than 5 minutes into the game.

 

[ColinS]

We have not been bad at all when ZZ leaves the game lately but I thought Alabama might give us issues. It was more the overall foul trouble that hurt us on defense late in the first half. Weird lineups and guys trying to avoid a third foul led to a late run for Alabama.

 

[CDB]

I remember the second Florida game. Dude Gainey can handle all the heat and then some. He is a beast. I trust him with everything. Ball handling. He’s got a good run up 15 footer.

It was one of many reasons we held off the tide. We have some freaking ballers. Just hope we can make a run soon. Go vols !!!!’

I was more worried about ZZ’s foul situation long-term than I was his sitting out short term.

I agree about Gainey. This is what is great about college basketball and what I miss the most, watching a player develop.

He has gotten much better about driving in the paint, looking for the assist and is not afraid to take the shot when he gets an opening (and he makes them!). He also does not shy away from contact which sends him to the foul line where he is a good free shooter and is clutch when the game is on the line.

And no, I am not his dad, uncle or any other family member or friend lol. Just impressed with his development and maturity. But to be honest with you, there are a lot of players on this team I feel that way about.

 

[livefaith]

Oats lamented in his post-game presser, that one of the keys to this game was that his team was not able to put some distance between us on the scoreboard while Ziegler sat on the bench. He knew how important that was.

 

[BernardKingGOAT]

Any normal fan in America would think we were in trouble without our All-SEC and senior captain point guard. Hell, I thought the same thing when he picked up his 2nd foul. You can’t look yourself in the mirror and honestly say you felt no concerns when he picked up his 2nd foul less than 5 minutes into the game.

I wasn't that concerned because I knew we had beat Florida by 20 without him for an entire game. My concern was that Bama would get into the bonus much too early