Tennessee’s first step into the Big Dance was a bit troubling, but not surprising. If the Vols can, indeed, advance deep into the NCAA Tournament, they’ll do so without being as sure-footed as they’d like to be.
Wofford was clearly no match for Rick Barnes’ team, which was almost a 20-point favorite. It’s bothersome that the Vols didn’t have the ability or mindset to bury the Terriers, who pretty much bumbled their way through the first round NCAA Tournament game. However, let’s not get too picky about a double-digit win – just yet.
The No. 2 Vols led No. 15 seed Wofford, which finished sixth in the Southern Conference regular season before winning the SoCon Tournament, for the entire game except 13 seconds. It was a contest that never seemed to be in doubt. On the rare occasion when Wofford made a run, Tennessee, led by guard Chaz Lanier, always had an answer.
Lanier scored 29 points, which is third-best in Tennessee basketball history in the NCAA Tournament. However, before we start handing out bouquets, let’s factor in the talent gap. In terms of pure athletic ability, Lanier and the Vols were unquestionably one of the best teams Wofford has played this season.
Moreover, Lanier is surely one of the best players the Terriers have seen this season. The senior shooting guard could have probably scored 40-plus if the Vols needed him to. That wasn’t necessary.
Tennessee will face No. 7 UCLA on Sunday. The Vols are a 5.5-point favorite against the Bruins, which tried to hire Tennessee coach Rick Barnes in 2019. UCLA, who is much deeper than Tennessee, hammered Utah State 72-47. That was the sort of performance that most expected from the Vols. However, Tennessee simply doesn’t play like that.
Far too often Tennessee allows teams to stay in the game with its defensive-minded approach, and the Vols fail to show up offensively. The latter wasn’t the case against Wofford, but that’s certainly something to keep an eye on moving forward.
Lanier and the rest of Tennessee’s scorers have shown no sign that they can be let loose, so UT coach Rick Barnes has been forced to rely on defense this season. That’s not on Barnes; that’s on his players.
Perhaps Tennessee’s players will have a different mindset moving forward. Maybe they’ll pile on when the opportunity is there – if it ever is for the remainder of this season. We’ll see. I have my doubts.
For all of Lanier’s points against Wofford, I still wonder if he has the mentality to excel in the NCAA Tournament. He still needs to take the ball to the basket more often. That was a problem throughout the season. Barnes repeatedly called Lanier out for not being more aggressive. Lanier took plenty of shots against Wofford but could still amp up his dribble-drive game.
UCLA showed Tennessee how it should have played in the first round. The Bruins jumped all over Utah State and were able to cruise to an easy win. Seven different players scored at least seven points, led by guard Skyy Clark, who scored 14 points against the Aggies.
If there is one glaring weakness that Tennessee has, it’s depth. After early season losses to injury and the transfer portal, the Vols only go about six players deep into their rotation before things start to get a bit shaky.
Tennessee should beat UCLA. The Vols should advance to the Sweet 16. If they don’t, that would be even more troubling.
