Tennessee basketball: 3 takeaways from Vols loss at Georgia
Tennessee basketball lost another game on the road, this time 73-62 to the Bulldogs. Here are three takeaways from the Volunteers’ loss.
How hard can it be to work a shot clock? I’m blaming this Tennessee basketball loss solely on the problems with the shot clock.
Seriously, I’m asking a legit question; did we speak too soon during that six-game winning streak Tennessee went on? If you can’t remember the teams the Vols beat during that span here is the list: South Carolina, Vanderbilt, Iowa State, LSU, Ole Miss, and Kentucky.
Four of those wins came from teams that sit 10th or below in the SEC Standings. One was the Cats, and everyone knows Kentucky isn’t what they have been in recent years. Another one was against Iowa State, and they currently sit last in the Big 12 with a 13-13 overall record. I’m not trying to be negative Nancy, but are the Vols as good as everyone thinks they are? They are still a good team, but this has to raise some eyebrows, right?
This was also a rough day for the upper half of the conference and the road teams. Auburn, Tennessee, Missouri, and Florida all got beat on the road today.
With Auburn losing, the Vols had an excellent opportunity to inch closer to the top of the standings, but Yante Maten wouldn’t let that happen.
With the loss, Tennessee basketball falls to 19-7 overall and 9-5 in the SEC. It’s hard to tell if Rick Barnes needs to give the guys some rest or turn up the pressure during practice. The remaining games of the season will be just as tough as this game.
Vols need to regroup and fast with the Gators coming to town on Wednesday. Here are three takeaways from Tennessee basketball’s loss to Georgia.
1. Maten has the Magic
Yante Maten was the best player on the court, and it wasn’t even close. Grant Williams is a stud, and as a Vols fan, I love having him on the team, but he was no match for Maten.
At one point during the first half, Williams went to his quick baseline spin but guess who knew the right place to be, Yante Maten. He looked like a prepared senior that does his homework on his opponents. He was in the right spots all night and kept Williams from getting anything going offensively. Maten finished the game with 19 points, four rebounds and shot 8-12 from the free throw line.
2. No Answer for Ogbeide
I never thought I would write that Derek Ogbeide was the difference maker in the game, but he was. The big man averages 7.2 points a game with only 5.5 rebounds. And, in all fairness, Grant Williams had four fouls for most of the second half but leave it to Tennessee to showcase a career game from an opposing player.
Ogbeide had 16 points and 11 rebounds and seemed to make the crucial plays when the Bulldogs needed them. That’s two games in a row that he has had over ten rebounds. Oh, and he also shot 6-7 from the field.
3. Kyle and The Others
Kyle Alexander joked the other day about starting a band and naming it “Kyle and The Others.” Despite the loss, Kyle Alexander played one of the best games in his career. Georgia was big and long down low, but he played aggressively with them.
Alexander finished the game with 10 points and 13 rebounds on 5-7 shooting. Tennessee basketball could use that kind of production from the junior forward every game.
Bonus Takeaway
Lamonte Turner is the Casey Clausen of basketball. The kid loves playing in road games. Before you bring up the Alabama game, I know, I watched every second of it, and he only had five points. But, in the previous five road games, Turner has scored 80 points and is 18-30 (60%) from the 3-point line.
Kyle Alexander block update: In the past 11 games, Alexander has 23 blocks.