Tennessee basketball: A sold-out FedEx Forum couldn’t stop the No.3 Vols
Tennessee basketball got a fight from the Memphis Tigers but came out with a 102-92 win. Here are three takeaways from the game.
A sold-out FedEx Forum didn’t disappoint as the Memphis Tigers gave the No.3 Volunteers their best shot. The game was only within single digits a couple of times, but it never seemed like the Vols could put it out of reach.
The Tigers didn’t have the talent to match the Vols despite a 33-point outburst from senior forward Kyvon Davenport off the bench. Three years down the road, this should be one of the best rivalries in college hoops.
Tennessee basketball moves to 8-1 on the season and continues to check off the wins. The Vols have a good shot to ride into SEC play with an 11-1 record and possibly as the number one team in the nation. Here are three takeaways from the game.
1. The HATE is strong
This is a game that needs to be played every season. Shame on whoever made the decision not to put it on the schedule.
Although the Tigers where outmatched they were well coached. Penny had his team playing tough the entire game. Not many teams in the nation are going to be able to out-tough the Vols. However, the Tigers tried when they weren’t flopping.
Most of the game Memphis was in striking distance. In fact, early in the first half, they were able to cut the lead to single digits.
The whole game displayed foul after foul which turned into a chippy matchup late. With less than a minute to go in the game, the referees passed out three technical fouls.
Looking at what transpired objectively, it appears a couple of players were talking to Jordan Bone which got the whole Tennessee team involved.
2. Grant Williams and Admiral Schofield are just too tough
As long as Grant Williams and Admiral Schofield are leading the way the Vols are going to be hard to beat. Schofield almost had back-to-back career-high games with 29 points. He finished 4-of-8 shooting from the three-point line and a perfect 9-of-9 from the charity stripe.
Grant Williams had another great game scoring 19 points and was dominant on the low post. A lot of people will point to Williams getting easy buckets close to the rim but he works for that position and once he gets the ball that low, he’s unstoppable.
Memphis had no answer to what us folks in Knoxville like to call Peanut Butter and Jelly. Penny tried to throw a zone at the Vols which worked for a bit until the three-point shots started falling. Once the Tigers went back to man-to-man, Williams took over.
3. The Vols look a lot like a dominant San Antonio Spurs team
Remember those San Antonio Spurs teams that owned the NBA? This Vols team reminds me a lot of them. They have one of the best coaches in the league, and every single player on the team respects him. Rick Barnes made fantastic calls out of timeouts and when Memphis three different defenses at them.
There isnt a single player that isn’t willing to put in the work. We always hear how much these guys are putting into the gym and it’s paying off. Not to mention, they have played together for a while.
It’s still early, but Tennessee is 8-1 without last year’s SEC Sixth Man of the Year. They should only get better when Lamonte Turner returns to the lineup. In the end, Memphis gave the Vols their best shot; it just wasn’t enough. Tennessee will be in action on Wednesday against Samford.