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Tennessee basketball: 5 keys for Vols in 2017-2018 SEC play

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TN - JANUARY 24: Tennessee Volunteers players react in the second half of the game against the Kentucky Wildcats at Thompson-Boling Arena on January 24, 2017 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee defeated Kentucky 82-80. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - JANUARY 24: Tennessee Volunteers players react in the second half of the game against the Kentucky Wildcats at Thompson-Boling Arena on January 24, 2017 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee defeated Kentucky 82-80. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images
Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images /

4. Tennessee basketball has to finish games.

We’ve discussed at length the fact that its a total lie to say the Vols are not properly closing out games this year. A quick look at the numbers show that’s not true, and at 9-2, the only game they didn’t finish was North Carolina.

However, that loss to the Tar Heels was still a key loss. And on top of that, the real story was their failure to finish games last year.

Tennessee basketball was 13-9 and in the midst of a five-game winning streak heading into February last year. With a 5-4 SEC record and a Top 5 strength of schedule, they were trending up with a strong shot at the NCAA Tournament.

But then they blew two huge leads to the Mississippi State Bulldogs and Georgia Bulldogs. Even before that, they had collapsed in key games against the Ole Miss Rebels, the Arkansas Razorbacks, and even UNC then. And they closed the season with a loss because they couldn’t get it done at the end against Georgia again.

Simply put, they were not closing out games. Just closing out a couple of more would’ve gotten them to the tournament.

So far this year, the Vols have shown much more resiliency. However, it’s completely different animal with the arrival of SEC play. This year, it’s even more different and more difficult. And Tennessee is going to have to figure out a way to avoid that this year. One key to doing that is something Barnes has struggled with in the past. And it goes to our next point.

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