I’m not concerned about any particular Tennessee basketball player as the Vols step into the next round of the NCAA Tournament. I’m more concerned about all of them.
The No.2-seeded Volunteers were in tip-top shape against St. Peter’s in a 83-49 beatdown of the Peacocks in the first round of the tournament. One would think the Vols are rolling. However, I wonder what happens when – and if – the Vols really get tested. Will they respond and survive or wilt and be eliminated?
The Vols haven’t had that kind of success, winning a tight game against a quality opponent, since the South Carolina game when Tennessee beat the Gamecocks 66-59. That’s a long time without being tested in a close game. Now, nearly three weeks later, the Vols will face one of the better teams in the nation when they face 7th-seeded Texas. The Longhorns are no Peacocks. That’s for sure.
Tennessee certainly knows how to win close games. They’ve done that at various times this season. Still, the Vols haven’t left a basketball court feeling incredibly proud of themselves in almost about a month. And now, it seems, Tennessee wants to spread the ball around a bit, as they did against St. Peter’s, instead of just feeding the ball to star, like wing Dalton Knecht, when things go bad. Remember the Auburn game?
That may have been a fine style to win a game or two. Staying balanced and running coach Rick Barnes’ traditional offense may be the answer when the Vols need bucket as well. Either way, those are little trodden paths lately.
In truth, Tennessee could have used another couple of weeks of the regular season now that Santiago Vescovi is coming along as he did against St. Peter’s. It would be nice to know how Tennessee will respond, both emotionally and strategically, if they’re in a tight game, elimination game sometime soon. No one player is a problem in that scenario, just as long as every player knows what to do when the game is on the line, which it hasn’t been in nearly a month.
