Rick Barnes and the Tennessee Volunteers basketball team face a formidable challenge this Saturday night as they square off against Brad Underwood’s impressive Illinois squad at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena. Coming off back-to-back losses, the Volunteers will have little time to regroup, with Illinois having established itself as one of the Big Ten’s top programs over the past five years.
Expect Tennessee to start strong in Saturday night's matchup just off Broadway. With a lively Nashville crowd behind them, the Volunteers should feed off the energy for all 40 minutes, using the atmosphere to maintain intensity and momentum throughout the game.
This is a typical Brad Underwood squad. They have size and length all across the court with plenty of veteran experience. The Fighting Illini are consistently one of the top offensive teams in the nation. This style will be a fun clash with Tennessee's defensive prowess.
This is a massive game for the Volunteers, as they have to avoid a three-game losing streak at all costs. Let's take a look at three bold predictions ahead of Saturday night's matchup.
1. Ja'Kobi Gillespie bounces back
During Tennessee's two-game losing streak, star point guard Ja'kobi Gillespie has averaged only 10.5 points. He had 10 points versus Syracuse and 11 versus Kansas. Rick Barnes needs a bounce-back game from the floor general, as keeping up with the Fighting Illini on offense will be a challenging task.
Even with this recent slump, if you can even call it that, it hasn’t been all that bad. Gillespie has consistently demonstrated that he’s one of the top point guards in the nation; his floor is so high that what counts as a bad game for him would be considered solid for most others. Given his proven track record as a big-game performer, I fully expect to see Gillespie bounce back soon.
For Tennessee to win on Saturday, they need Gillespie firing on all cylinders, as this game could be a shootout.
2. Tennessee dominates Illinois on the glass
Tennessee is widely known across the nation as a top rebounding team. The Volunteers have done a great job on the glass, especially in the offensive end. These second-chance points will be crucial, as every bucket counts in a game that is going to be high-scoring.
Jaylen Carey and Felix Okpara are two big physical men, an archetype that Illinois basketball has typically struggled with. It feels like this is the type of game where they will shine on the glass on both ends of the floor.
Illinois is still an outstanding rebounding squad, but a physical team like Tennessee has always given Illinois fits. This matchup favors the Volunteers, and I look forward to seeing how it plays out Saturday night.
Don't be shocked if Tennessee is cleaning up the boards all night long.
3. Tennessee has a season low in turnovers
Coming off a game in which Rick Barnes' squad gave up the ball 17 times to Syracuse, it might be crazy to think they would have a major 360 in less than a week. The biggest takeaway I saw was more of a lack of execution and unforced errors, rather than Syracuse actually forcing turnovers.
Illinois is ranked 359th in the nation when it comes to turnover percentage, so this is an excellent opportunity to bounce back for the Volunteers. They should have no problem taking care of the ball, which should lead to a season-low in turnovers. This had to have been a significant emphasis for Rick Barnes.
Tennessee will have a major opportunity on Saturday night to get the season right back on track.