ON MY ALLEGED MIND (1-28-22)

HARD WATCH: The 2021/22 Tennessee Basketball team -nearing the midpoint of the SEC schedule- stand 14-5 overall, 5-3 in the conference, 11-0 at TBA, with a terrific win over Arizona and no bad losses. Somehow, with all those check marks they engender anything but confidence in this aged follower. All the above plaudits aside, with their offensive struggles, slow starts and extended periods of failing to value the basketball every SEC victory -with the exception of LSU- seems more tormenting than thrilling. As Tony often says we’re writing numbers not painting pictures but that doesn’t make sitting in front of the television for 2 hours of agony any easier. Just win baby works for me but can we win pretty just every once in a while?

WALK TO THE LINE BUT DON’T CROSS IT: Earlier this season I was lamenting Tennessee’s lack of edge and toughness. It came to a boil when LSU’s Tari Eason intentionally trampled a prone Santiago Vescovi and not a single teammate came to his aid. Shortly thereafter Uros Plavsic took it upon himself to become the Vols enforcer. His self-appointment seemed to immediately harden Vescovi who showed an aggression at Vandy -who had obviously been instructed to make the game as physical as possible hoping the Vols would wilt- he had rarely displayed. It manifested itself on the Tigers return visit to TBA where the Vols were obviously intent on sending a message of their own that their hides had hardened over a two-week period. I liked it. I did not however enjoy what I thought was the borderline display of thuggery that Plavi played with on Wednesday versus Florida. The unprovoked shoves in the back and other slightly outside the lines behavior are unnecessary and counter-productive. I realize I can’t have it both ways but I expect our “we’re not going to take it anymore” attitude to be retaliatory not inflammatory. Stay on the good guy side Plavi.

MID SEC SEASON OBSERVATIONS:

Vescovi is the perfect Rick Barnes player. A multi-year, tough-minded, guard who has flourished under Barnes sometimes overbearing approach. Vesco -by any pronunciation- is easily this team’s most reliable, productive performer. He leads the team in scoring at 14.6 ppg; shoots 44% from the field; 40% from beyond the arc and 76% from the FT line. He’s consistently a 2-1 ratio of assists to turnovers guy and has improved his strength to the point of playing through contact, being stronger with the ball and performs at a high-level late while logging 29 minutes/game.

Josiah Jordan-James on the other hand seems to have regressed slightly under the same reign. He still is the guy that can do a little of everything on both sides of the floor including the ability to guard four distinct positions, yet something is missing, other than most of his three-pointers. He’s a glue guy that somehow comes apart at the seams at times. I never thought James was a true 5-star. He seems to bring credence to Brother Freddie’s line that “we get most of our McDonald’s All-Americans off the dollar menu”. I’ve never blamed him for the inflated rating or expected him to perform to that impossible level. I do expect him however to be what he should be. An experienced, multi-talented, leader that plays like it in big moments. To date this season, he has failed in that role more than he’s succeeded.

John Fulkerson is finding his role on this team. He’s no longer a guy that can be counted on for extended quality minutes, or strings of contests where he is the offensive cog. What he can do is provide short bursts where his hustle and underrated ability to score in the paint -versus select matchups- and willingness to set up others for offensive success can be valuable down the stretch.

Kennedy Chandler is not what I hoped he would be in his likely lone season on The Hill but he’s still plenty talented enough to make other teams scheme to stop him. I applaud his willingness to take hard coaching and the fact that Barnes has allowed him to play through some rough spells as well as his determination to become a better defender. He has the ability to finish at the rim like players much longer than him and if he can get more consistent with his perimeter shot he will be a valuable weapon down the stretch. I wish he would play more two-handed, especially passing the ball. I know he played the best competition imaginable in high school but none of his opponents at that level defended with the fundamentals and tenacity seen at Division-1. Possessions are too valuable for this often offensively challenged Vol squad to give them away with careless, lazy passing.

I hope Brandon Huntley-Hatfield’s family and advisors recognize he’s nowhere near ready to play professionally. I would love for him to remain in college one more season -if that’s here that is- because there is a really nice player waiting to blossom with an additional season in the weight room and on the floor.

I see flashes of what the staff apparently sees regularly in practice with Olivier Nkamhoua. If he could just slow the clock in his head slightly in-game he could be the consistent rebounder and interior scorer that this team so desperately needs to balance their inside-out attack.

Zakai Ziegler is why I remain a college basketball fan. An uncommon, out-of-nowhere kid that was apparently more deservedly recognized on the outdoor courts in NYC than in recruiting circles. Thank heavens for Michael Schwartz or whoever unearthed this gem. And we’ll get to enjoy him for four years.

Amazingly Tennessee is 4th in the SEC in 3-point shooting accuracy at 33.3% trailing only Texas A&M (35.1%), Kentucky (34.9%) and Auburn (33.5%). Though it sometimes feels like we’re watching Tennessee sling it at 25-foot high rims with over-inflated balls at the carnival take heart Vol faithful. We could be watching Alabama launch 595 attempts (84 more than Tenn) at a 30.9% clip or Florida misfire on 364 of 518 attempts (29.7).

Tennessee is 8th in rebounding (36.9 rbg) and 9th in offensive boards (12). That must improve in the second half of the league schedule.

The Vols have been much better making their way to the FT stripe in SEC play than they were in the pre-conference slate. Now they need to start making them at greater than a .693 clip.

NEXT TIME: A look at the remaining SEC slate at the midpoint and how the Vols may fare.

CLOSING COMMENT: It’s about to get good.

---