Tennessee basketball: Grant Williams needs defensive discipline to take Vols from good to great

Grant Williams is a special player. However, if Tennessee wants to make the leap from good to great, they need him to develop defensive discipline.

The more college basketball I watch I realize there could be a foul called on almost every possession. It’s a lot like a holding being called on offensive linemen in football or a walk being called in the NBA; those guys seriously forget to dribble.

There is another very alarming truth to watching college basketball; the referees are as bad as they’ve ever been. First let me say, I’m sure it’s harder than it looks. However, whistles are blown before contact even takes place sometimes. The product can be difficult to watch when the refs take over and don’t let the players play.

I feel I have to justify myself for speaking negatively about Grant Williams even if it’s just a minor critique of his game. But, Williams has to become more consistent with discipline on the defensive end if the Vols want to go from good to great.

Maybe that’s unfair since I did mention how horrible the referees are and the fact he’s only fouled out seven times the past two seasons. But, the Vols are just 2-5 in those games, Williams has to be on the floor.

Last season he fouled out against Villanova, another game that was close down the stretch. I don’t think it changes the outcomes of the season, but the Vols could have won that game. He also fouled out in an overtime loss to Arkansas, a game that Tennessee should have won.

As good as Tennessee can be, they will only go as far as the reigning SEC Player of the Year takes them. That’s no knock on the rest of the players; Grant is just that good, he could end up being a back-to-back SEC Player of the Year winner.

The Vols are coming off a tough loss 87-81 in overtime to the Kansas Jayhawks. I’m not blaming Williams for the loss, without him Tennessee wouldn’t have been in the game.

However, the game changed when he fouled out. The only answer Bill Self found for the junior forward was for him to foul out of the game. Williams finished with 18 points, eight rebounds, six assists, two steals, and one block.

Now in fairness to Williams, the guard play wasn’t great and shot selection was even worse. The Jayhawks made five more free throws than Tennessee even attempted which should never happen when Jordan Bone is the starting point guard. He has one of the quickest first steps in the SEC and needs to use it as much as possible especially when there is no answer for Williams.

Simply put, Grant Williams has to stay out of foul trouble. In the nine losses from last season, had at least four fouls in seven of them. Again, I’m not knocking Grant he’s clearly the best player on the roster. However, if he can’t stay out of foul trouble, Tennessee won’t move the needle from being a good team to a great team.