Tennessee basketball holds off Arkansas 79-74: Three takeaways

Here’s what we learned from the Tennessee basketball Volunteers’ victory over the Razorbacks.

A furious comeback by the Arkansas Razorbacks in the final four minutes nearly erased an eight-point lead for Tennessee basketball. However, the Vols held off the Hogs in the end to pull away for a 79-74 win.

Despite trailing 40-33 at halftime, UT went on a 16-6 run to open the second half en route to rebounding from its shocking loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide on Saturday. With the win, Rocky Top improved to 8-1 on the year and 2-1 in the SEC.

Arkansas fell to 9-2 and 1-2 in the SEC, losing its second straight game. Up next for Tennessee basketball is a trip to the Texas A&M Aggies on Saturday, while the Hogs will host the Georgia Bulldogs. Here are three takeaways from a close win for Rick Barnes’ team.

1. Front court starters did their job.

On Saturday, Barnes called out John Fulkerson for his lack of aggression. How did Fulkerson respond? He had 16 points, eight rebonds, three assists and even three blocks. Fulkerson broke out of his funk to open the second half, scoring nine of the Vols’ first 11 points in that period. Meanwhile, Yves Pons continued to prove his defensive prowess, coming away with four blocks.

Josiah-Jordan James, though, playing on the wing, had one of his best games and was the game’s best player. He came away with three steals and nine rebounds, which even overshadowed his 17 points. That complete performance told the biggest story, and when James, Pons and Fulkerson play their roles as a Big Three, this team can be unstoppable.

2. Perimeter shooting disparity made this close.

For the second straight game, Tennessee basketball had an off-night shooting from the three-point line. The Vols were 5-of-18 from beyond the arc, and that limited what they could do offensively, especially in the first half.

However, to make matters worse, the Razorbacks went 8-of-20 from beyond the arc. That was their best three-point shooting performance in SEC play. Eric Musselman’s focus on tempo made Arkansas similar to the Alabama Crimson Tide, and it worked in their favor since they were hitting their shots.

3. Discipline and clutch free throw shooting saved the Vols.

As Arkansas nearly came back, the Vols had to win from the free throw line. The Vols did just that. They hit all 11 of their attempts in the last four minutes. Elite free throw shooting is why Keon Johnson, who made his first start, hit double figures. He hit all six attempts en route to 14 points. Off the bench, Victor Bailey Jr. scored 17 points while hitting five of six free throws.

Beyond free throw shooting, though, where they went 20-of-26 on the night, the Vols also had only five turnovers. They took a while to cross half court and in-bound the ball at times, but that was due to Arkansas’s aggressive defense. That patience and discipline paid off, and the Hogs made the mistakes, as Tennessee basketball forced 19 turnovers.