Tennessee Vols show in an hour why they could win it all or make a quick exit in March
The Tennessee Volunteers appear to finally have gotten their groove back after a tough stretch of games in the first half of SEC play. That was evident in the Vols' 70-52 win at Oklahoma on Saturday to cap their third straight win. The Vols were powered by a first half that was as impressive as […]
The Tennessee Volunteers appear to finally have gotten their groove back after a tough stretch of games in the first half of SEC play. That was evident in the Vols' 70-52 win at Oklahoma on Saturday to cap their third straight win.
The Vols were powered by a first half that was as impressive as any they'd put together this year. They shot 69.2% from the floor (18-26) to take a 45-25 lead into the locker room. During one stretch, they made five straight shots from the floor to take an early 13-9 lead that they would never relinquish the rest of the game.
And that's why this team – on one hand – could be special. Chaz Lanier was on his game in the first half. 5-7 from the field and 3-4 from three with a quick release and a deft touch. Tennessee got key contributions on the offensive end from the rest of the starters as well, in addition to Jordan Gainey and Darlinstone Dubar. Igor Milicic, Jr. was 3-4 with 8 points in the half. Zakai Zeigler had a whopping 7 assists to go with 8 points before the break, dealing the ball inside and out to the perimeter for open looks.
This is what Tennessee basketball at its best looks like. The Vols can defend, we know. They've done that against almost everyone. When they score and get contributions across the board as a team, there aren't many teams that, at their best, that can beat them.
But we've seen enough to know that this team has a clunker in them on the offensive side, as we saw in losses to Florida, Auburn, and Kentucky this year. And that could be what ultimately costs this team in March. Heck, even Tennessee's second half on Saturday – offensively – wasn't good, with just 25 points scored and the team finishing with 19 turnovers for the contest.
What this team lacks is what they had last year: a guy who could drag his team across the finish line when no one else can buy a bucket. Dalton Knecht was that guy. Lanier, while a good scorer and shooter, hasn't proven to have that gear he can shift to when the Vols need it. The ability to take the ball, one-on-one and go make a clutch basket when they need it. And if the team goes cold like they have as a unit, can anyone save them? It seems concerning that there's not an answer there.
Still, the Vols can get hot from the field for stretches of games. Anyone can. If they can go on an offensive heater as a team in mid-March like they have during stretches over the last week and a half, particularly the first half Saturday, then there's no reason to think they don't have a deep tourney run in them.
But just one off night like they had in Auburn or in Gainesville, and it's hard to see where they find the answer to snap their tournament futility this year.
Former NBA All-Star has wild theory involving LeBron James about why the Lakers traded Dalton Knecht to the Hornets
A prominent former player has a hot take on why the former Vol was shipped out
