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Tennessee basketball: Five best things about Vols’ dominant win vs. Kentucky

By Caleb Calhoun

Tennessee guard Josiah-Jordan James (30) with a dunk during the NCAA college basketball game between the Kentucky Wildcats and Tennessee Volunteers in Knoxville, Tenn. on Tuesday, February 15, 2022.Px Uthoops Kentucky
Tennessee guard Josiah-Jordan James (30) with a dunk during the NCAA college basketball game between the Kentucky Wildcats and Tennessee Volunteers in Knoxville, Tenn. on Tuesday, February 15, 2022.Px Uthoops Kentucky /
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Tennessee forward John Fulkerson (10) talks with Jonas Aidoo (0) during the NCAA college basketball game between the Kentucky Wildcats and Tennessee Volunteers in Knoxville, Tenn. on Tuesday, February 15, 2022.Px Uthoops Kentucky
Tennessee forward John Fulkerson (10) talks with Jonas Aidoo (0) during the NCAA college basketball game between the Kentucky Wildcats and Tennessee Volunteers in Knoxville, Tenn. on Tuesday, February 15, 2022.Px Uthoops Kentucky /

2. New lineup discovered

In terms of what this game meant for the future, it wasn’t just about winning. Tennessee basketball found out some things. With Olivier Nkamahoua gone for the season, as we mentioned on the previous slide, Rick Barnes has been desperately trying to find more depth in his post game beyond just John Fulkerson and Uros Plavsic.

Either Brandon Huntley-Hatfield or Jonas Aidoo was going to have to step up and be a quality stretch-four. That became even more crucial in this game as Josiah-Jordan James, who can play the point-four when Barnes goes small, got in serious foul trouble.

Well, it appears as if Barnes found is answer to that question Tuesday night in Aidoo. Although Huntley-Hatfield and Plavsic started the game, neither were able to be that effective. Aidoo came off the bench and had an incredible three blocks. He also had seven rebounds and five points.

Complementing Fulky, they helped control the paint. In addition to his scoring, Fulky had eight rebounds, a block and a steal. There are still some issues, as Kentucky outrebounded the Vols 40-32 despite missing more shots, and that was because they one on the offensive glass 18-6. However, Aidoo emerging does wonders for Barnes’ flexibility going forward.

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