As the SEC Men's Basketball Tournament approaches, Tennessee Vols basketball coach Rick Barnes met with the media to discuss the team’s preparation for its Thursday matchup. During the conversation, Barnes offered an interesting perspective on what separates teams this time of year, explaining the difference between a good team and a truly great one when March basketball arrives. Barnes said:
“I think totally being connected and everyone understanding how difficult it is to win and that you can’t have bad nights right now. You can't."
Barnes went into the importance of each possession when it comes to single elimination as well.
"As you keep going into, certainly, tournament play, I mean, there’s such a fine line between winning and losing, and one possession, two possessions here or there, would be the difference," said Barnes. "And knowing that everything that we’ve talked about after every game, you know, taking care of the ball, transition defense, rebounding the ball, all those type things, and shot selection, it shows up this time of year.”
Tennessee's gritty mentality will prove to be the difference in a do or die game
Barnes is right. The difference between moving on and going home can be one bad possession, which turnovers have been something that has held the Vols back all year. But on the other hand, Tennessee is elite when it comes to transition defense, rebounding, and second-chance opportunities. Getting back on defense and stopping an easy two for their opponent, or grabbing a rebound and putting it back up for a bucket. Those winning plays that seem minuscule show up even more in March. If the Vols can clean up the sloppy mistakes and keep doing the little things, they have all the potential in the world.
Tennesse might not be th most talented team in the nation, but they have grit and the ability to do the little things. That counts. Doing the little things like being active in passing lanes, boxing out, getting back in transition, etc., those are the teams that have success in the tournament. Not to mention, Tennessee can lean on a veteran point guard in Ja'Kobi Gillespie when they need a bucket. Vetera guard play always pays dividends in March.