Tennessee basketball put together the best start in program history this season, but SEC play has not been kind to the Vols, as they have started with a 3-2 conference record. This is very disappointing, given the record-breaking start to the season, but it is the reality of this year's team.
Winning SEC games is going to be very difficult this year, as Tennessee and every other SEC program has proven in the early weeks of the SEC schedule. Winning on the road is going to be next to impossible, especially if Tennessee can't find the physical play that helped them dominate the first couple of months of the season.
Tennessee's 76-75 loss to Vanderbilt is another disappointing trip to Memorial Gymnasium, which was not kind to Tennessee during the Rick Barnes era.
Vanderbilt brought a new challenge Tennessee has not seen in conference play so far this season. Tennessee has struggled against bigger lineups. Vandy possesses a smaller, more athletic lineup, and they did just enough to knock off Tennessee.
The smaller lineup shouldn't have stood a chance against Tennessee around the rim, but it seemed like Vandy stopped them any time Tennessee needed points in the paint.
Tennessee was also outrebounded 29 to 25, which cannot happen if Tennessee hopes to remain competitive in the SEC standings this year. Rebounding has been the most telling statistic in Tennessee games this season. If Tennessee wins the rebounding advantage, the Vols typically dominate; if they lose the rebounding advantage, they are likely to lose.
Chaz Lanier returned to the three-point shooter we know and Tennessee needs, but he still came up short with an opportunity to tie the game with a missed free throw that iced the game. He led the team in scoring with 17 points, while Felix Okpara, Igor Milicic Jr., and Zakai Zeigler all scored 16 points a piece.
Tennessee has a tough two-week stretch coming up with four straight ranked opponents, including No. 1 Auburn, No. 8 Kentucky, and No. 5 Florida in three-straight matchups