After two brutal losses last week and star Freshman Nate Ament getting hurt, the Tennessee basketball team needed some good news, and tonight delivered just that. With a convincing win over South Carolina, 78-59, the Vols can build on this strong performance on Saturday against Vanderbilt. The Vols never trailed in the contest, and the win now marks the second-largest margin of victory for Tennessee in SEC play this season.
The story of the night was how dominant Tennessee was inside the paint. The Vols scored _ down low, including a career high 20 points from Felix Okpara and 22 from J.P. Estrella. This was completely different, showing from the frontcourt compared to Saturday against Alabama, where every layup seemed to roll around the rim and miss. Tonight, everything went right through the hoop.
Tennessee was spectacular with backdoor lobs and ball movement. Thanks to this, Ja'Kobi Gillespie had a career night with 12 assists. Gillespie actually took a step back from being the primary scorer tonight and was the primary facilitator. He proved tonight that he can not only be a legit scoring threat but also play the role of the pass-first floor general.
Tennessee’s defense was outstanding tonight, as usual. Aside from Meechie Johnson, South Carolina’s star guard, the Vols smothered the Gamecocks, allowing no easy looks and forcing plenty of contested shots. The 59 points allowed tonight mark the fewest the Vols have given up in SEC play this season.
Rick Barnes needs to close out the year strong
With just one game remaining, Tennessee’s matchup on Saturday has turned into a must-win. A victory would send the seniors out on a high note and cap off a perfect 2-0 season against rival Vanderbilt. It’s also the Vols’ final chance to notch a quality win before the SEC Tournament, giving their March Madness resume a crucial boost.
It remains unclear what Nate Ament's status is, but with a high ankle sprain, it can be tough to gauge with all the factors of running, cutting, jumping, etc that come into play. One can hope he will be ready for Saturday, but I wouldn't bet on it.
All in all, Tennessee needs all the positive momentum they can get before one and done play begins.