What Happens When Grant Williams Doesn’t Play Well

Here’s one of the best examples of the difference between last season and now for the Vols.

Last season Grant Williams’ worst game, by far, was at Georgia on February 17: 1-of-8 from the floor, five points, four rebounds, fouled out in 25 minutes. And Tennessee lost 73-62, their second defeat in three games after a six-game winning streak.

An aside: a six-game winning streak is always a good qualifier for a team’s ability to win it all, since that’s what it takes to win the tournament. How many Tennessee teams had such a winning streak this century?

• 6: 2003 (NIT), 2004 (NIT), 2013 (NIT), 2018 (SEC Champs)
• 7: 2010 (Elite Eight), 2011 (started 7-0)
• 8: 2006 (NCAA 2-seed)
• 9: 2001 (started 9-0), 2007 (Sweet 16)
• 11: 2000 (started 11-0, Sweet 16), 2008 (Sweet 16)
• 16 and counting: 2019

Just one more way of saying what we’re seeing right now is significantly better than Tennessee’s best basketball in recent history, much of which was already better than anything for decades before that.

But it ended at six for last year’s team in part because Williams struggled at Georgia against what was ultimately an 11-point loss to an 18-15 team.

Compare that to this year, when his worst game is again obvious: at Missouri on January 8. In that one, Williams was 1-of-8 from the floor with four points, one rebound, and fouled out in 22 minutes. Missouri was, at the time, a team on the bubble.

And the Vols won by 24.

We’ve said for almost a year now that the first question for any team facing Tennessee is, “Can they guard Grant Williams?” Sometimes the answer is simply no, specifically with teams like Vanderbilt but generally more often than not. But some teams, like Alabama and certainly Missouri the first time, do find answers.

When Williams struggled against Georgia last year, the Vols got strong performances from Kyle Alexander (10 points, 13 rebounds) and Lamonte Turner off the bench (14 points, 4-of-8 from the arc). But it wasn’t enough. This year, when Williams struggles – which is basically the Missouri game and that’s it – the Vols have better answers in quality and quantity. Against the Tigers, Tennessee got 17 points and five assists from Jordan Bone, 14 points and 17 rebounds (!) from Kyle Alexander, 16-and-9 from Admiral Schofield, and 20 points from Jordan Bowden (on a night he went 0-for-4 from the arc) off the bench, just for good measure.

Grant Williams is an incredible player on a national level the likes of which we haven’t seen in a very long time. No Vol has earned first-team All-American honors since Dale Ellis in 1983. Allan Houston and Chris Lofton both made second-team multiple times; Tony White and Ron Slay made third once. Williams is on pace to have his number retired.

This both is and isn’t a fun question to think about…but I also think Tennessee would still be really good without him.

Aside from two signature wins coming with him fouled out (the title clincher in the rematch vs Georgia last year, and taking down #1 Gonzaga this year), every other player on this team is better than they were when the Vols lost on Williams’ off day in Athens last season. And Jordan Bone & Kyle Alexander are significantly better.

So the Vols may very well run into some teams that can limit Williams and/or foul him out; Missouri might do it again tonight. But Tennessee’s ability to both win and excel even when Williams isn’t on the floor is remarkable. The individual talents of Tennessee’s best player and the collective strength of the team even when he isn’t on the floor combine for a higher ceiling than anything we’ve seen before.

It continues late tonight: 9:00 PM ET on ESPN2 as Missouri comes to Knoxville.

Go Vols.