Tennessee basketball: Free throws, turnovers cost Vols, Lady Vols over the weekend
Tennessee basketball’s men’s and women’s Volunteers programs suffered crucial losses over the weekend. Both were due to missed free throws and turnovers.
It was the perfect setup for Tennessee basketball. The Vols and the Lady Vols both had games with major NCAA Tournament implications, and with February ball in full swing, they each had something to prove.
On the men’s side, a visit to the South Carolina Gamecocks was a chance to get onto the bubble. The women, meanwhile, were hosting the Texas A&M Aggies and looking for a second quality win to prove they belonged firmly in the tournament and not fall to the bubble.
Both teams, however, ended up losing their games by two points. There were narratives with each, as well. Poor officiating, including a horrible charging call late, drew the ire of Rick Barnes on the men’s side late, and it was well-deserved.
Kellie Harper, on the other hand, had trouble getting her players to manage the clock late against A&M as they were mounting a comeback. They intentionally fouled on two of their final three defensive stands after running 20 seconds off the shot clock both times.
We can discuss those issues. But what’s clear is one thing. They each lost due to basic mistakes that drive coaches crazy: Turnovers and missed free throws. If they fix those things, both teams win their games.
Let’s start with the men. Tennessee basketball shoots 75 percent from the free throw line. They average 13.5 turnovers a game. In Columbia, however, they had 20 turnovers, and they shot just 61 percent from the line, missing 11 of 28 free throws.
John Fulkerson, who earned a lot of praise by leading the team with 25 points and nine rebounds, was the biggest culprit in those mistakes. He missed five free throws and had six turnovers. Davonte Gaines and Santiago Vescovi each missed two as well. Just a couple of extra made free throws makes this a completely different game.
Turnovers have been a problem all year on the women’s side, so 16 against Texas A&M wasn’t surprising. However, they only hit six of 16 free throws in a horrible night from the foul line, and A&M, which shot more than twice as many free throws, only missed half as many attempts. They went 28-of-33.
That was the difference. Tamari Key, who is the premier inside player like Fulkerson for the men, was the culprit from the line, just like Fulkerson, as she missed five of her six free throw attempts. She also didn’t help with three turnovers. However, Key is a freshman. She is developing.
A worse culprit was Rae Burrell, who is a veteran wing player at this point and led the team in scoring with 19 points. She had five turnovers and missed three of six free throws, which is completely out of character. Jaiden McCoy then missed both of her attempts off the bench. One more made free throw by McCoy, Burrell and Key each would’ve given the Lady Vols a win.
As it stands, both of Tennessee basketball’s programs took a hit over the weekend with these losses. The men, at 14-11 and 6-6 in the SEC, are completely out of the NCAA Tournament picture at the moment, with a brutal road ahead.
Meanwhile, the women, at 17-8 and 7-5 in the SEC, have fallen onto the bubble with only one quality win and only one more chance at a second quality win this regular season. That chance is at the Arkansas Razorbacks this Thursday.
Simply put, both Tennessee basketball programs are in rough positions. Wins over the weekend would have put them in great shape. But they blew it, and they blew it because of missed free throws and too many turnovers.