Happy Tennessee Is Tracking A #1 Seed Friday!
The Vols are in action this afternoon versus Mississippi State in Nashville. It's go time as the Vols look to lock up a #1 seed.
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Orange Throat sets today's agenda ...
Orange Throat
'T Club Team:
Random musings as Barnes' Ballers play in the SEC tourney in the Music City while The Show of Record for Vol Nation breaks it down in real time:
STATEMENT AGAINST STATE? The reigning SEC basketball champs need to come out strong today and dispatch bubble team Mississippi State to the danger zone. With ACC champ North Carolina challenging the Large Orange for the last #1 seed, even though the ACC is probably the weakest in history, the proceedings in Nashville have taken on more importance. While this is very much an inexact science, some UT insiders think a win today cements the first-ever #1 seed for the program.
SEASON GRADE? The Dean (Basilio) loves to put these show questions out there prematurely, and he did yesterday. The responses are why the Tennessee basketball job is such a good one. A good portion of Vol Nation, no way of knowing how many, think the NCAA tourney is just gravy if you had an outstanding regular season. The GRADE has to be incomplete at this point but the PROGRESS REPORT is glowing and sets up for a great finish.
Would you rather go 9-9 in the league and make the Final Four and have a chance to play for it all or would you rather go 14-4 as the 2022 team did and bow out in the second round? Please don't take much time to answer.
ONCE UPON A TIME ... We were looking up to the mighty Nebraska Cornhuskers, who won the national title in the 1997 on at least one judges card after boat racing us in the Orange Bowl. It was Nebraska's fifth natty and the program seemed like a forever juggernaut. Tom Osborne retired after the title and things have never been the same. Fast forward to circa 2024 and favorite son Trev Alberts has just left the athletics director's job at his alma mater to go to Texas A&M. Nebraska is where UT has been in the past. Poor leadership or none at all at the presidential level and disarray all around. Husker Nation would love to be in the position of Tennessee fans 27 years later.
THE FIGHTING VOLTELLOS ... Open the SEC season on the road (as always), this time at Alabama. The Crimson Tide is now led by former Maryland skipper Rob Vaughn after Brad Bohannon was fired in the midst of a gambling scandal. The 2024 Baseball Tiders are 15-2 and have the best team BA among SEC teams in non-conference play at .345. Tennessee has more power in its lineup and perhaps a bit on an edge in pitching, but Friday night starter A.J. Russell hasn't thrown a competitive inning since the Albany game on Feb. 23.
THE SILVER LINING IS ... A.J. Causey has filled in for Russell so far on Fridays and has the staff's best ERA at 1.31. Drew Beam has been and can be expected to be rock solid on Saturday and Nate Snead has been strong on Sundays. It is the first of 10 SEC series, so you can bet Frank Anderson will continue to be cautious with Russell's use this weekend. This is early league play on the road so you can just about guarantee Anderson's bullpen is going to be called on for significant contributions in each game.
THE WEATHER FORECAST ... Is much better than Tennessee's opening series at Missouri last year, when the Vols tried to pitch and hit in fur parkas and got swept. I would be surprised if the Vols don't get one this weekend and maybe two.
LADY VOLS FIND OUT ... Sunday night where they are headed in the NCAA tournament. Beano and Charlie Creme have been burning the midnight oil last week and Beanstar will update the audience on today's show.
Orange Throat'
Throaty: This is very fun stuff. Two seasons overlapping here with Tennessee in the SEC Tournament and Tony Vols opening at Alabama. Great sports day if the weather holds up for Baseball. You bring up a really good point about the upcoming NCAA Tournament and the forgiving and giving nature of our hoops fans. Not only do they show up in droves in greater numbers in this region than anyone this side of Lexington but they're a long suffering and patient group. I was shocked to hear people say that the NCAA Tournament was only 20 or 30 percent of the overall grade. I think Throaty offers an interesting thought that a 9-9 season in the SEC with a long run in the tourney is better than winning the SEC and going out early. Of course you'd rather win the SEC and go to parts unknown.
Vols #1????? NCAA Communications Director David Worlock tweeted that the committee officially seeded the 1 line on WEDNESDAY NIGHT. So anything that happens this weekend would require a "scrub" of the bracket to change the 1 line. We've been talking in this space that the importance of the conference tournaments could be negligible if Tennessee semi takes care of business today. This absolutely stands to reason that if Tennessee wins today they should be in very good shape. Therefore I'm agreeing with Throatie above.
One Very Good Development From The ACC Tournament: Also of note, UNC lost a quad 1 win yesterday with BC blowing out Clemson.
A One Seed In The West Is A Good Place To Start ... Try this nugget on for size ... Last 15 seasons the 1 seed in the west has made the final four 3 times. In the last 15 years only 17 1 seeds have made the final four total.
A Closer Look At Tennessee Miss State: Vols opened as a 10 point favorite. That's 3 points more than Kenpom. Do the Vols get the rub from having the game in Nashville? Maybe.
Rick Barnes is great in revenge games. He's nearly impossible to sweep. Since his 3rd year he's only been swept twice.
Hubbard has taken off since Tennessee last saw the Bulldogs. The diminutive freshman had 24 in a come from behind win over LSU Thursday.
Miss State has lost 4-5 coming in.
Tolu Smith has really struggled and only had 8 points on 2-9 shooting. He did have 13 rebounds. He's been very good against Tennessee in his career.
Aidoo has to meet the moment.
Tennessee will probably rotate Mashack and ZZ on Hubbard.
The last time out State shot FT's well but haven't been much from the line this year.
Last time out ZZ was only Vol with a good first half. Knecht only had 2 first half points but 26 in the second half.
This is a game that Awaka should be able to function in.
VFL Mark Griffin previews today's game vs Mississippi State
Griffin's 3 Pointers
'Griffin’s 3 Pointers- Mississippi State
- HEAD COACH: Chris Jans
1996-1998 | Kirkwood | 56-16 | .778 | NJCAA Division ll Tournament Appearances- 2 |
1998-1999 | Independence | 22-10 | .688 |
2001-2003 | Howard College | 49-14 | .778 |
2003-2004 | Chipola | 32-5 | .865 | NJCAA Division ll Tournament Appearances- 1 |
Overall- JUCO | 159-45 | .779 |
2014-2015 | Bowling Green | 21-12 | .636 | CIT 2nd Round |
2017-2022 | New Mexico State | 122-32 | .792 | NCAA Tournament Appearances- 3 |
2022- Present | Mississippi State | 41-25 | .621
| NCAA Tournament Appearances- 1 |
Overall | 184-69 | .727 |
Division ll Coach of The Year- 1998 3X Coach of The Year- 2018, 2019, 2020
- TEAM: Overall 20-12 Conference 8-10 (Home 11-4 Away 2-8 Neutral 7-0)
Bracketology with Joe Lunardi 3/14/24- Listed as # 11 seed in NCAA Tournament
Wins over Arizona State 71-56, UT Martin 87-63, North Alabama 81-54, Washington State 76-64, Northwestern 66-57, Nichols 74-61, Tulane 106-76, Murray State 85-81, North Texas 72-54, Rutgers 70-60, Bethune-Cookman 85-62, Tennessee 77-72, Vanderbilt 68-55, Auburn 64-58, Georgia 75-62, Missouri 75-51, Arkansas 74-67, Ole Miss 83-71, LSU 87-67, and LSU 70-60.
Losses to Georgia Tech 59-67, Southern 59-60, South Carolina 62-68, Alabama 74-82, Kentucky 77-90, Florida 70-79, Ole Miss 82-86, Alabama 67-99, Kentucky 89-91, Auburn 63-78, Texas A&M 69-75, and South Carolina 89-93 OT.
Stats updated morning of 3/14/24 before SEC Tournament
NCAA | Miss. St. | | UT | |
Points Per Game | 75.3 | 130 | 80.2 | 43 |
Opponents Points Per Game | 69.6 | 109 | 67.7 | 66 |
Points Differential | +5.6 | 97 | +12.5 | 15 |
Field Goal % | 45.5 | 130 | 44.9 | 165 |
Opponents Field Goal % | 41.9 | 68 | 38.5 | 3 |
3 Point Field Goal % | 32.9 | 244 | 34.6 | 149 |
Free Throw % | 67.1 | 324 | 74.8 | 67 |
Rebounds Per Game | 38.6 | 44 | 39.0 | 35 |
Rebounds Differential | +5.9 | 27 | +3.6 | 71 |
2022-23 Overall 21-13 Conference 8-10 (Home 12-4 Away 4-6 Neutral 5-3) 2022-23 Versus UT: Lost in Knoxville 53-87 & Lost in Starkville 59-70 2022-23 Last game: NCAA Tournament First Four- Lost to Pittsburgh 59-60 Preseason Ranked 7th out of 14 teams in the SEC
- WHO TO LOOK OUT FOR: Tolu Smith— 6’11” 245 Grad
Games Played | 20 | Average Minutes | 28.4 |
Field Goals | 118 | Field Goals Attempted | 207 | Field Goal % | 57.0 |
3 Point Field Goals | 0 | 3 Point Field Goals Attempted | 0 | 3 Point Field Goal % | 0.0 |
Free Throws | 81 | Free Throws Attempted | 139 | Free Throw % | 58.3 |
Steals Per Game | .7 | Rebounds Per Game | 8.5 | Points Per Game | 15.9 |
2023-24: Preseason All-American 2nd Team- Blue Ribbon 2023-24: Preseason All-American 3rd Team- ESPN Dick Vitale 2023-23: SEC Preseason Player Of The Year- Blue Ribbon 2023-24: Karl Malone Award Top 20 Preseason Watch List 2023-24: Preseason All-SEC 1st Team- Blue Ribbon, John Rothstein, Lindy’s, and SEC Media 2023-24: Preseason Top 25 Player- Lindy’s 2022-23: USBWA All-District IV 1st Team 2022-23: NABC All-District 20 1st Team 2022-23: All-SEC 1st Team- AP & Coaches 2022-23: Preseason All-SEC 1st Team- Coaches 2022-23: Preseason All-SEC 2nd Team- Lindy’s 2019-20: Sophomore Redshirt Transfer- Western Kentucky
SEC | UT | | Miss. St. | |
Points Per Game | 80.2 | 5th | 75.3 | 8th |
Assists Per Game | 16.9 | 3rd | 14.5 | 8th |
Field Goal % | 44.9 | 8th | 45.5 | 6th |
Free Throw % | 74.8 | 6th | 67.1 | 14th |
3 Point Field Goal % | 34.6 | 6th | 32.9 | 10th |
Rebounds | 39.0 | 4th | 38.7 | 5th |
Blocks | 4.8 | 7th | 3.2 | 11th |
Steals | 7.9 | T 2nd | 7.9 | 4th |
Go Vols
Mark Griffin'
TLD Logistics Tennessee Baseball Report: Scoping Alabama: A New Head Coach For The Tide With A Tony Vols Tie: Alabama's new coach is young enough that he was recruited by Tony Vitello. Rob Vaughn is actually younger than Tony Vitello and spent 11 years at Maryland. He told the story about eventually choosing Kansas State over Tony. I just had my first interaction with Rob Vaught and he seems fantastic. He's very well thought of.
Bama has a Juco third baseman Gage Miller leading them in everything. This guy is hammering the baseball. He's near the top of the league in many categories coming out of the non conference season. He hits leadoff for the Tide batting .478 which is second in the league. He's near the top in everything.
Justin Lebron plays shortstop and has a bright future. His manager didn't say he was going to be good player or a great player but said he's going to be a superstar player. He's someone to keep an eye on this weekend.
#1 Starter Ben Hess is a big righty with a fastball in the high 90's. He's off to a good start.
#2 Starter a transfer from Louisville. A lefthander with a power arm.
#3 Starter will be a bullpen arm that's being elevated for the weekend. They're trying something new here.
The closer is Alton Davis who was a star last year as a freshman. A guy you don't want to see if you're Tennessee and you're down late in the 8th or 9th inning.
They have a lot pieces including CJ McCann in CF from Ole Miss. He was a member of the Ole Miss National Championship team and started the year with a long hitting streak.
They lost a lot in the portal including a starting pitcher Luke Holman who's at LSU and off to a great start ... While 3b Colby Shelton is off to a fast start.
Will We See AJ Russell This Weekend? 'AJ Russell is available to pitch. There's a high concern of weather in game one. Causey will pitch game one and Beam game 2. Tony made it sound as if Russell would pitch but he didn't say how the puzzle pieces would fit but he's not going to start either of the first two games.'
Chris Burke With A Great Story On How The Vols Found SS Curley: 'This is as good as any lineup the Vols have had. 5 guys capable of making all league. Curley was committed to USC as a pitcher and the coach got fired. Vols saw him in an Area Code Event playing 3rd and short and here we are. That's a very interesting story I've just learned. What a difference maker to have that kind of power at shortstop. Maybe down the line his body means he slides to 3rd but he's the shortstop right now for this team.'
We're Live Postgame As Soon As The Vols Go Final: It's Garza Law Tennessee Basketball Overtime as soon as today's game goes final.
Go Vols
Tone
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