Who can beat us?

There are a lot of teams that can beat UT. Any game with a single digit betting line in college basketball is pretty much a pick em. There are 4 teams in the SEC that should beat UT (Kentucky, LSU, Auburn, MSU). All have better talent and equal (Wade) or better coaching (Cal, Pearl, Howland). These teams and any of the other teams in the Top 20 are capable of beating UT. Vol fans are acting like this team is Duke, Kentucky, or 1990-91 UNLV.

Seriously? Will Wade is just as good as Barnes? Ridiculous.

Ben Howland has not taken the next step with MSU. Maybe he can do it this year, but UT throttled them in Starkville last year.
 
You realize UT refused to play Memphis in the 70s and 80s when Memphis was playing for national titles, Final Fours, and 4 straight Sweet 16s, right? Somehow, the series was renewed during Memphis' probation, when it appeared they would be down. Similar to how UT football has refused to play Memphis these last 5 years.

As far as the 2-0 vs Penny's teams while he was playing, we have an Elite 8 banner hanging in our arena from one of those years. Those teams weren't juggernauts (6 seed in 1992 and 7 seed in 1993) and are probably the 3rd or 4th most celebrated teams in Tiger history. Honestly, the majority of Tiger fans have no recollection or angst over in season games. I didn't even remember that we played those 2 years until it was brought up prior to the game a couple of weeks ago. What I do recall vividly that year was the 1st game vs a ranked DePaul team (1st game ever played in the Pyramid), beating #3 seed Arkansas in the 2nd round, and losing for the 4th time that year to Cincinnati and Nick "F****ing" Van Exel in the Elite 8. Tell me how big is that banner in Thompson Boling that says "1992" Defeated Memphis State with a horrible coach the year they went to the Elite 8"? Does this one hang next to the "2006-2007: Defeated Florida 3 out of 4 times the years Florida won back to back National Titles"? Keep focusing on the battles, Memphis and legit programs focus on the wars.

Clown posting right here. You realize UT can’t really play Memphis anymore in football because the SEC has mandated a P5 out of conference game every year? That means UT either plays a neutral site game or home and home with a P5 team. That essentially means every other OOC game has to be at home for revenue. Memphis wants a game at their home.

Originally, I think there was some leveraging for a basketball series, but now the scheduling parameters have changed.

BTW, I was at that DePaul game at the Pyramid. I grew up in Memphis. It’s still ok to admit that this is a really good UT team.
 
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There is a reason you seen Tennessee playing just as hard up by 50 as they were up by 5. I don't see Tennessee overlooking or taking a game off. This team looks hungry and plays with Barnes' personality. Injuries or crazy foul trouble is the only thing I fear.
That Loyola game will motivate them for the rest of this season. You know the players were thinking that should have been them in the final four last year.
 
I only wish Walker, Pons, and Fulky would have the same mentality as Lucas Campbell. The kid wants to score lol. I know that sounds funny but at least Campbell looks to take his shot.

If those guys can't score in the type of game we had yesterday then I worry about them improving. I'll say this; from my stand point Barnes is giving EVERYONE their chances to shine and get more playing time.
I wouldn’t put to much into Fulk and Pons not scoring. Fulk just came off a 15 point game and Pons has had a 10 point game this season. Those guys just neeed to keep focusing on doing the dirty work that helps us win and hit the open shots that come to them. Also, Walker had 5 and that was his best game so far this season. Walker had a good game because he let the game come to him and wasn’t trying to force things and overthink. Also, Walker, Pons, and Fulk are in earlier in games and are in the rotation, if they go in forcing up shots they will be coming off the bench when Campbell comes in looking for his shot.
 
One might expect them to play in that game, but not 3 minutes into the game, up 9 and all 3 on the floor at the same time. Even Farnham thought it was odd. I'm in no way questioning the move, I don't question anything this coach does anymore. I do think it was a teaching point and getting his pups real time in a big game.

I'd think that it was to keep somebody out of foul trouble or to give somebody a rest. TN wasn't going to go just 7 deep. The subs might be more effective entering fairly early rather than waiting to jump into action later. IMO JJ needed to get his feet wet with Turner limited. Barnes probably would have liked to get 10 or 12 minutes from Johnson and Walker, but they didn't play well enough to stay on the court that long. By playing them early, he knew how he'd be able to utilize them later... which was not much on that day.
 
I'd think that it was to keep somebody out of foul trouble or to give somebody a rest. TN wasn't going to go just 7 deep. The subs might be more effective entering fairly early rather than waiting to jump into action later. IMO JJ needed to get his feet wet with Turner limited. Barnes probably would have liked to get 10 or 12 minutes from Johnson and Walker, but they didn't play well enough to stay on the court that long. By playing them early, he knew how he'd be able to utilize them later... which was not much on that day.
You saw it as a rest, I saw it as a test. Just different views I guess.
 
Playing for a national title (singular) in the 70 and 80s. Saying that they played for national titles (plural) would indicate they played for more than one, which they didn’t. Also they made two Final Fours (and EEs) twelve years apart in that era. Impressive, no doubt, but let’s not act like Memphis making the Final Four was the norm. It wasn’t.

Has Memphis had more success in the NCAAT than UT? Absolutely. Should you, as a fan, be proud of their success? Definitely. With that said... If, over the next 15 years, Tennessee makes a couple of Final Fours and a title game, I won’t then parade around beating my chest like it was the “era of the Volunteer”.
Honestly, most people don't remember who came in any position other than first. No national championship trophy for second. Good season, yes. Did you reach the pinnacle? No.
 
And the road can humanize a team quickly. Pretty sure we will lose several, but hope we win them all.

I have the impression that these players kind of enjoy hostile crowds. I don't think they'll be intimidated by any of them. Barnes used to make his players fight through bad spells instead of burning time outs. It would drive certain game thread posters crazy, but I think it elevated their mentality (the players, not the posters).
 
I have the impression that these players kind of enjoy hostile crowds. I don't think they'll be intimidated by any of them. Barnes used to make his players fight through bad spells instead of burning time outs. It would drive certain game thread posters crazy, but I think it elevated their mentality (the players, not the posters).
No doubt they love playing in that environment. Love playing in front of the home crowd, but winning in a hostile, rabid environment away from home.....what a rush!
 
I have the impression that these players kind of enjoy hostile crowds. I don't think they'll be intimidated by any of them. Barnes used to make his players fight through bad spells instead of burning time outs. It would drive certain game thread posters crazy, but I think it elevated their mentality (the players, not the posters).
Just watching his body language, you know Admiral loves it. Most mature and IQed bunch of kids I've seen in a long time.
I call them kids but they play like grown-ass-men.
 
I like our matchup w Missouri. They play at a snails pace but can be turnover prone and don’t shoot FTs well. Basically a perfect game for Fulky to bounce back. He can be a pest down low on defense and it won’t hurt us too much if he fouls.

I think Grant will have another feast on offense and Bowden will look good again. Geist vs Bone will be a fun matchup
 
Clown posting right here. You realize UT can’t really play Memphis anymore in football because the SEC has mandated a P5 out of conference game every year? That means UT either plays a neutral site game or home and home with a P5 team. That essentially means every other OOC game has to be at home for revenue. Memphis wants a game at their home.

Originally, I think there was some leveraging for a basketball series, but now the scheduling parameters have changed.

BTW, I was at that DePaul game at the Pyramid. I grew up in Memphis. It’s still ok to admit that this is a really good UT team.

Interesting, who is UT’s Power 5 opponent next season?
 
Don’t get cocky. Everyone is beatable. They just got to have the refs, some three ball luck, and a weird defense. Barnes will have us ready next time.
 
Don’t get cocky. Everyone is beatable. They just got to have the refs, some three ball luck, and a weird defense. Barnes will have us ready next time.
Strut it while you can. Not much to crow about as far as UT sports in many moons. I'm lovin Cocky.
 
From what I've seen; 70% chance we lose at Auburn and Oxford. 20% chance we lose at Baton Rouge. 30% chance we lose at Lexington.
 
From what I've seen; 70% chance we lose at Auburn and Oxford. 20% chance we lose at Baton Rouge. 30% chance we lose at Lexington.
I differ on the percentages. No way auburn and ole miss twice as likely to beat us as ky.
 
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From what I've seen; 70% chance we lose at Auburn and Oxford. 20% chance we lose at Baton Rouge. 30% chance we lose at Lexington.
Pretty sure Virginia has a better than 30% shot at beating Duke at Cameron Indoor this week. Our odds at Auburn and at Ole Miss will be higher than that.

I think at Rupp is our biggest challenge.
 
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