Tennessee basketball vs. South Carolina Gamecocks: Vols preview, live stream, prediction
Tennessee basketball looks to get back on track Tuesday hosting South Carolina. Here is the preview for the UT Volunteers’ match-up against USC.
Last week I wrote about what a fantastic week the Tennessee basketball team had. It Started with the 33-point victory over the Ole Miss Rebels. The Vols followed that with a win against the Kentucky Wildcats in Rupp Arena for the first time since 2006.
Oh, how quickly the tables can turn. As good as last week went for Tennessee, this week is starting on the other side of the spectrum. It hasn’t just started off bad…it’s ugly.
The 78-50 loss to Alabama gave the Tide the best win against a top-15 team in program history. The 28-point deficit was the worst loss of the season for Tennessee. Actually, the previous five losses were only by a combined 30 points.
With the loss, Tennessee (18-6, 8-4 SEC) is in a tie for second in the SEC standings with Florida. They can pretty much kiss any chance of a regular season SEC title goodbye. However, this team is much improved and ahead of projections, which again, had them 13th in the SEC.
*BRACKET UPDATE* In the latest bracketology, from ESPN’s Joe Lunardi, Tennessee basketball falls to a four seed in the South region playing the Vermont Catamounts. In the CBS Sports projection from Jerry Palm, they are a four seed in the South region playing Vermont just like in ESPN’s projected bracket.
As for South Carolina, the Gamecocks (13-12, 4-8 SEC) were a scary team about a month ago but are currently on a five-game losing streak. Scoring has hindered South Carolina during that span with one game with over 65 points.
In their last game, Florida held South Caroling to just 41 points in. That was in outing in which the Gamecocks couldn’t get anything going offensively. They shot 27.8% from the field and only 2-13, 15.4% from beyond the arc.
Before we preview both teams and give our prediction, here is the information you need for Tuesday’s game.
South Carolina Gamecocks at No. 18 Tennessee Volunteers
When: Saturday, Feb. 13 at 9:00 p.m. E.T.
Where: Thompson-Boling Arena; Knoxville, Tennessee
TV: ESPNU
Live Stream: WatchESPN
Line: Tennessee -10.5
Over/Under: 135.5
VIEW OF THE VOLS
The SEC is much improved, and taking one night off can lead to a 28-point loss like the Vols just had. Tennessee basketball should take the embarrassing loss to Alabama and learn from it.
At no surprise to anyone, Grant Williams still leads the team in scoring and is still really good. With 16 points, he was the only Vol to score in double digits on Saturday. Williams looked like the only player that was interested in the game.
In the first matchup against the Gamecocks, Lamonte Turner went absolutely bonkers. He had 25 points on 6-of-9 shooting and was 3-for-3 from the 3-point line. He also was a perfect 10-for-10 from the charity stripe. Without Turner, the Vols lost that game. Can he turn things around after having zero impact against Alabama?
VIEW OF THE GAMECOCKS
South Carolina is coming off a 24-point drumming by the Florida Gators. The Gamecocks scored a whopping 41 points which is their worst scoring output of the year.
Junior guard Chris Silva leads the Gamecocks with 14.3 points per game. During the five-game skid, Silva has been the only one playing decent. Frank Booker did have a 25-point outburst against Mississippi State but other than that it’s been all Silva and as good as he is it just isn’t enough.
In the first matchup against Tennessee, Silva got in early foul trouble and was limited to just six points and five rebounds. That opened the door for Justin Minaya and Wesley Myers to have big games with 16 points each on 7-of-12 shooting from the 3-point line.
WATER-COOLER CHAT
Tennessee basketball hasn’t lost at home since January 2nd against Auburn.
The Vols are 8-0 when Lamonte Turner hits three or more 3-point shots in a game.
Jordan Bowden is shooting 45% from beyond the arc. In losses, he is shooting just 30%.
PREDICTION
The letdown came against Alabama, and every Vols fan knew it was coming at some point, right? No way Tennessee was going to win out, that just doesn’t happen.
I initially thought this game could be tricky for the Vols but with the loss to Bama, there is no way they drop two straight. I mean, they could, but you better believe Rick Barnes lit into his Tennessee team after that long drive back to Knoxville.
Tennessee continues their home winning streak with a win against the Gamecocks. Bank on a 69-56 type of game as the Vols get back on track.