Tennessee basketball: Demon Deacons were no match for the No.3 Vols

Tennessee basketball improves their winning streak to six games with the 83-64 victory over Wake Forest. Here are three takeaways from the game.

In typical Tennessee basketball fashion, the Vols cruise to an easy win with a total team effort. If you took a glance at the first half stats and saw Admiral Schofield with only two points, you might think the Vols were struggling.

However, that just wasn’t the case. A slower type of start, maybe, but Grant Williams carried the load with 17 first-half points. Like always, Williams was a handful down low with his exceptional post position.

Schofield turned it around in the second half finishing with 12 points on 6-of-14 shooting from the field but went 0-for-3 from deep. The Vols also got help from Jordan Bone and Kyle Alexander to put the game out of reach. Here are a couple of takeaways from the game.

1. Still a lack of respect from the referees.

Tennessee has a top-five team in the nation and yet after every game I find myself questioning how in the world so many fouls were called on them. I’m not suggesting the referees shouldn’t call fouls just because Tennessee is a good team. However, you’re lying to yourself if you don’t think good teams get most of the calls. Play Duke in Cameron Indoor, and you aren’t getting a single call. Play Tennessee in Thompson-Boling, and you will get them all.

The Vols ended up getting called for three more fouls than the Demon Deacons, and most of the calls were weak. However, weak fouls are still fouls in the eyes of the referees. Tennessee has to find a way to stay out of foul trouble especially with Lamonte Turner still nursing an injury.

2. Kyle Alexander’s improvement is stunning

Kyle Alexander averaged 1.7 points per game as a freshman. Fast forward to today and the big man from Canada poured in a career-high 19 points on 9-of-10 shooting from the field.

Last season Alexander was a different type of player. He improved almost every single area of his game, and it showed on the court. He scored in double figures seven times last season which is rather remarkable acknowledging where he came from. However, he has already outdone himself this season by scoring in double figures in eight games so far.

3. Pick your poison

You know you’re in trouble when you’re coaching against the Vols, and Kyle Alexander scores 19 points. It’s not that Alexander can’t play, it’s just the Vols have multiple weapons, they are almost impossible to stop.

Do you plan to stop Grant Williams? Well, good luck. But, if you do, you still have to worry about Jordan Bone, Admiral Schofield, and Jordan Bowden.

Tennessee ended the game with four guys in double figures. Williams set the tone with a game-high 22 points on 7-of-14 shooting from the floor. He was nearly perfect from the line connecting on 8-of-9.

Schofield got off to a sluggish start but ended up with 12 points. And, after a game where Jordan Bone produced a career-high 24 points, he poured in 18 against the Demon Deacons.

The Vols have a small Christmas before taking the court against Tennessee Tech on December 29 at Thompson-Boling Arena. The Golden Eagles will be the last test before the Georgia Bulldogs roll into town to begin conference play.