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Tennessee basketball preview vs. Louisiana: Vols look to start 2-0

By Billy Williford

KNOXVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 31: Jordan Bone #0 of the Tennessee Volunteers passes the ball during the game between the Tusculum Pioneers and the Tennessee Volunteers at Thompson-Boling Arena on October 31, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 31: Jordan Bone #0 of the Tennessee Volunteers passes the ball during the game between the Tusculum Pioneers and the Tennessee Volunteers at Thompson-Boling Arena on October 31, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images) /
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The Tennessee basketball team host the Ragin’ Cajuns of Louisiana on Friday night at Thompson-Boling Arena. Here is all the information you need to know for the game.

Don’t let the Louisiana name fool you. This Ragin’ Cajuan team that won 27 games a season ago and were Sun Belt Regular Season Champions. In fact, Louisiana has had back-to-back 20 win seasons and are primed to do so again this year.

Tennessee basketball (1-0) is coming off a huge season-opening win against Lenior-Rhyne. Yes, it was only Lenior-Rhyne but the Vols won convincingly, and they didn’t play near their potential. They will have to put it in gear against Louisiana, though. Tennessee should easily win, but if they let the Ragin’ Cajuns hand around it could come down to the wire.

Here is all the information you need for the Vols’ game vs. the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns.

No. 6 Tennessee Volunteers vs. Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns

When: Friday, November 9 at 7:00 p.m. E.T.

Where: Thompson-Boling Arena; Knoxville, Tennessee

TV: SEC Network

Live Stream: WatchESPN

Line: Tennessee -16.5

Over/Under: 150

VIEW OF THE VOLS

Record: 1-0
Last 5: 1-0
Last 10: 1-0

Jordan Bone led Tennessee with 18 points on 8-of-12 shooting in the season opener. That is the type of production Bone is capable of every single game. He has one of the most explosive first steps in college basketball; he just needs to use his talent more often.

Tennessee finished the game with an 86-41 win, and all five starters scored in double figures. One of our bold predictions for the season was the Vols would have five players average in double figures. So far, they are off to a good start.

As I am writing this preview, there is still no word if Lamonte Turner and Jalen Johnson will play. It will be interesting to see how the rotation plays out with both guys in the lineup. Obviously, Turner brings a lot to the table, especially with his three-point shooting. We have yet to see much from Johnson, but he has the experience in the system to be really good.

VIEW OF THE RAGIN’ CAJUNS

Record: 1-0
Last 5: 1-0
Last 10: 1-0

As we mentioned above, the Ragin’ Cajuns were Sun Belt Regular Season Champs. They have an experienced team that can play some ball. Senior, JaKeenan Gant needs to have a big game for Louisiana to have a chance. Gant can light it up. He finished last season with 15 games scoring at least 15 points. In the first game of the season, Gant scored 19 points on 8-of-9 shooting. It appears he has already found his game from last season.

Malik Marquetti is another player the Vols need to contain to win the game. Last season Marquetti shot over 40 percent from the three-point line. In the season opener, the 6-foot-6 senior scored 19 points on 2-of-4 shooting from deep.

The Ragin’ Cajuns made 14 three-point shot in the 121-80 win against the University of the Virgin Islands. Can they continue the hot shooting against a Vols team that only gave up 41 points? Tennessee did give up a lot of wide open three-point shots to Lenior-Rhyne in the first half.

VIEW FROM US

This won’t be a cakewalk. Louisiana should give the Vols a better challenge than the 16-point spread might suggest. I would imagine the Ragin’ Cajuns might try to throw some full-court pressure at Tennessee during some points of the game. They have the talent to make this a game, but in the end, I think the Vols are too good. Tennessee 82 Louisiana 68. 

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