All for Tennessee
Fansided

March Madness: Ranking the top five Tennessee basketball Vols by importance in 2022 NCAA Tournament

By Caleb Calhoun

Feb 5, 2022; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; Tennessee Volunteers guard Josiah-Jordan James (30) and his teammates celebrate the last minutes of a victory over the South Carolina Gamecocks in the second half at Colonial Life Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 5, 2022; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; Tennessee Volunteers guard Josiah-Jordan James (30) and his teammates celebrate the last minutes of a victory over the South Carolina Gamecocks in the second half at Colonial Life Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 5
Next
Mar 13, 2022; Tampa, FL, USA; Tennessee Volunteers guard Santiago Vescovi (25) cuts down the net after defeating the Texas A&M Aggies at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 13, 2022; Tampa, FL, USA; Tennessee Volunteers guard Santiago Vescovi (25) cuts down the net after defeating the Texas A&M Aggies at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

player. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Guard. Junior. 2. 534. Santiago Vescovi

6’3″ 191 pounds

Despite John Fulkerson being the most important big and Kennedy Chandler being Tennessee basketball’s best player, the Vols have options for both of their roles. To play the style they want to play under Rick Barnes, though, they don’t have any real options behind Santiago Vescovi.

Three-point shooting matters for March Madness, and Vescovi is the one consistent three-point specialist for the Vols. He’s second on the team in scoring at 13.4 points per game because he hits nearly three three-pointers a game and shoots 39.6 percent from the field. Add in his point guard skills, averaging over three assists, and he’s the perfect shooting combo guard.

Victor Bailey Jr. and Justin Powell could both provide the spark Vescovi provides from beyond the arc, but neither is seeing significant minutes right now. As a result, while other players can shoot the three, Vescovi is the one sharpshooter Barnes can turn to right now.

There’s also the fact that the product of the NBA Global Academy in Canberra, Australia who is originally from Montevideo, Uruguay has become tough under the basket and on defense. He’s averaging four and a half rebounds and over one and a half steals a game. As a result, he can replace other guards on his list, even if less effective. Nobody can replace what he does.

Home/Vols Basketball