The Vols will have to deal with some talk of the latter after this one. Its ultimate destiny will depend on how much it invests in the former. The first half was pure violence, Kentucky six points ahead behind the work of P.J. Washington inside and Keldon Johnson outside. The […]
Author: Will Shelton
Tennessee at Kentucky Preview
Not only is this the highest-ranked match-up between the Vols and Cats in their 224-game history, it’s also one of just three top five match-ups in the history of Tennessee basketball. No hyperbole necessary for this one: the facts are good enough. Overconfident Tennessee Teams Go to Rupp Arena to […]
Tennessee 85 South Carolina 73: Eliminating the Puncher’s Chance
We all know where this is headed on Saturday. But let’s take one more minute to celebrate what these guys have done. Tennessee, as you know, is now 23-1 (11-0). Nineteen wins in a row, nine SEC wins by double digits. But the majority of these players are also now […]
First the SEC, Then the World!
None of us have any experience with a 22-1 (10-0) basketball team outside our imagination. But here’s what we didn’t imagine about life at 10-0: the Vols aren’t even close to locking up the SEC. It’s one part having both dates with Kentucky in the final seven games of the […]
Tennessee 73 Florida 61 – The New Normal
The Vols opened SEC play with a 46-point win over Georgia (that one still isn’t normal, no matter what Tom Crean says about his players). Things got tight in consecutive games around Tennessee’s number one ranking: a three-point win over Alabama, and a five-point overtime win at Vanderbilt. Tennessee’s other […]
Where Will Tennessee Land in the NCAA’s Projected Top 16?
On Saturday (12:30 PM ET, CBS), the NCAA selection committee will reveal its current Top 16 seeds. It’s the third year they’ve done so in early February, and the second time the Vols will appear in it. And while last year our enthusiasm was muted after taking a 28-point beating […]
Tennessee is Recruiting For Championships in Blue Chip Ratio
Team rankings are exciting, but can also be deceiving. The better benchmark is SB Nation’s blue chip ratio: if you want to be in the national championship conversation, at least half of your signees need to be four-or-five star players. Phillip Fulmer hired Jeremy Pruitt over easier and safer choices […]
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 […]
Tennessee at Texas A&M Preview: How Rare Would 20-1 (8-0) Be?
Very, as it turns out. That’s where the Vols would be with a win tomorrow. By my count, only seven SEC teams have started 8-0 in league play since 2000. Kentucky did it in 2003, 2005, 2012, and 2015. Florida did it in 2007, 2013, and 2014. Every one of […]
Short-Handed Vols Skip the Lesson, Blow Out South Carolina
Jordan Bowden tweaked his knee pregame and did not play. Kyle Alexander was in foul trouble early and often, finishing with two points. That opened the door for Chris Silva, who had 28 points and 10 rebounds. Columbia was rocking as South Carolina looked to go to 6-1 in league […]