March Madness: 5 things we learned about Vols after the first weekend

4. Shooting efficiency is fine, but ball movement has been subpar. 

The Vols shot 40 percent from three against the Iowa Hawkeyes and 34.6 percent against the Colgate Raiders. Combined, they are 17-of-46, or nearly 37 percent, which is above their team average on the year by about a point.

They also shot 82.6 percent from the foul line against Iowa and 72.7 percent against Colgate. Combined there, the Vols are 27-of-34, or 79 percent, which is three points higher than their season average.

Considering the fact that they make just over six three-pointers a game and have made eight or in both March Madness games, they have actually been looking good. Such shooting efficiency is actually something to celebrate.

However, the Vols aren’t complementing it with the ball movement that they enjoyed throughout the season. For the year, they averaged 18.5 assists and 11 turnovers a game. But in their first two tournament games, they’re only averaging 12.5 assists a game while also averaging 12.5 turnovers.

The turnovers are skewed by a disastrous 17 against Iowa. But they haven’t had more than 13 assists in a game. That is terrible ball movement for a veteran team that has great passers all over the court. And it’s a recent that they are shooting on average one less free throw in the tournament than they did in the regular season.

If the Vols can get back the ball movement they had in the regular season while keeping their shooting efficiency where it is, there’s no way they lose this weekend. But with two elite defensive teams coming up, they’ve got to start swinging the ball around more.