March is here, and it’s officially one-and-done for Rick Barnes and Tennessee. The margin for error is razor-thin, and the Vols will need a full 40-minute effort every game if they want to keep advancing. One slip-up, and they could be heading back to Knoxville.
Let's take a look at three things that could derail the Vols tournament run.
1. Turnovers
This may seem obvious, but nearly every loss Tennessee has suffered this season has come down to offensive lapses and careless turnovers. If Ja'Kobi Gillespie can get to his spots and make good reads, this team is completely different. When Tennessee is at its best, they are getting up good shots and getting the offensive rebounds, something they excel at.
However, you can't grab an offensive board if you turn the ball over. Tennessee's ceiling gets much higher if they take care of the ball and get open looks for Ament, Boswell, and Gillespie.
2. Not converting on second-chance opportunities
This piggybacks off of point number one: the Vols need to capitalize on missed boards. Jaylen Carey, J.P. Estrella, and Felix Okpara have done a great job on the rebounding aspect all season long. The reality is, they have not done a great job converting those offensive rebounds into points. Too many times, they are missing layups, and often that decides whether Tennessee wins or loses.
It's not all on them, though, as they do kick the ball out to the perimeter, and the wings don't always do a great job finding another good look for a basket. Either way, Tennessee needs to capitalize on its rebounds moving forward.
3. Point guard depth
During Tennessee’s first SEC Tournament game, Ja'Kobi Gillespie picked up two early fouls, forcing the Vols to adjust. Without him on the floor, the offense looked flustered and lacked movement. Barnes had to take a risk and put Gillespie back in with two fouls, and it could have bit him, but it didn't. Ethan Burg and Troy Henderson both have high ceilings, but at this stage, the game moves a little too fast for them.
Tennessee needs its star point guard, Ja'Kobi Gillespie, on the floor. If not, the Vols could be in serious trouble.