College Basketball Nation: Tennessee Vols
New coach Cuonzo Martin believes that Tennessee is a Top 25 program.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- I’m not surprised Tennessee is up 38-27 at the half.
I thought if one game went this way Saturday, it would be this one. Sorry Ohio, but I didn’t think you had a chance in this game much like I didn’t believe in the Bobcats prior to the Georgetown game. Ohio played magnificently in the win over Georgetown. But the Bobcats have played into Tennessee’s hands by trying to push tempo.
Let’s not forget that Tennessee beat two No. 1 seeds in Kentucky and Kansas this season. The Vols are a quality club that should advance to the Sweet 16 and have played much more of their game in this one than in the grinder against San Diego State.
The Midwest was considered the toughest bracket and yet Tennessee wasn’t mentioned much as a possible trouble spot for Kansas. Kansas coach Bill Self did note last week the two teams that beat KU were in this bracket. Oklahoma State is already out. Tennessee would have to get to the Elite Eight.
I thought if one game went this way Saturday, it would be this one. Sorry Ohio, but I didn’t think you had a chance in this game much like I didn’t believe in the Bobcats prior to the Georgetown game. Ohio played magnificently in the win over Georgetown. But the Bobcats have played into Tennessee’s hands by trying to push tempo.
Let’s not forget that Tennessee beat two No. 1 seeds in Kentucky and Kansas this season. The Vols are a quality club that should advance to the Sweet 16 and have played much more of their game in this one than in the grinder against San Diego State.
The Midwest was considered the toughest bracket and yet Tennessee wasn’t mentioned much as a possible trouble spot for Kansas. Kansas coach Bill Self did note last week the two teams that beat KU were in this bracket. Oklahoma State is already out. Tennessee would have to get to the Elite Eight.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- What I’m looking forward to seeing Saturday:
Saint Mary's (10) vs. Villanova (2), 1:05 p.m.
Saint Mary's (10) vs. Villanova (2), 1:05 p.m.
How much trouble will Omar Samhan be for Villanova up front? I’m interested to see if Mouphtaou Yarou and Maurice Sutton can handle the mighty Gael. Samhan is a load to deal with in the paint. Yarou has the chops to push him around in the post whereas Sutton can be much more of a disruptive force from the weak side with his shot-blocking ability.
- The guard contest is quite a contrast. The Gaels will struggle to keep Scottie Reynolds and Corey Fisher in front of them and out of the lane. Conversely, the Gaels have more deep threats in Mickey McConnell and Clint Steindl. Taylor King can match the depth of shot with Villanova.
- The game could come down to how effective Ben Allen is facing the basket. He’s a mismatch with his ability to hit the face-up jumper. That’s why stronger players for ‘Nova like Antonio Pena and Reggie Reading have to offset that with being much more of a physical presence.
- Saint Mary’s is playing loose but wants to desperately prove it can be a Sweet 16 program. Meanwhile, Villanova couldn’t have played worse in the overtime loss to Robert Morris. There has to be a new lease on life for the ‘Cats. I could be wrong but this should be the best of the day here.
Tennessee had to gut out the win over San Diego State. It was not an offensive performance. The Vols barely got to the needed 62. What should change against Ohio? The Bobcats want to play fast and that means multiple shots for players like Scotty Hopson, Bobby Maze, Melvin Goins and J.P. Prince. Whether they can make the shots is another matter.
- Can the Ohio guards seriously shoot as well as they did against Georgetown? That may be asking quite a lot. Tommy Freeman made three 3-pointers but the bigger story was D.J. Cooper making five 3s. Cooper finished with 23 points in 37 minutes. One would think that Chris Wright would be able to defend him better than say Goins. But that wasn’t the case. Cooper went past the Hoyas at will. The Bobcats do have Cooper and Armon Bassett to handle pressure. That’s why it will be critical for the role players like Kenneth Van Kempen to make perimeter shots.
- Ohio must get off to a solid start to be in this game. The Bobcats probably won’t be able to play from behind in this game if the Vols get confident early.
- What’s interesting here is that since neither game feeds into the same region you might not see too many people stay for the second game. There isn’t a rooting interest since they won’t meet next week. The first game is in the South bracket and feeds to Houston. The second game is in the Midwest and feeds to St. Louis.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- In the words of Kentucky freshman guard John Wall, the Wildcats weren’t going to be punked this time.
They felt like that’s what happened the last time they played Tennessee. The Vols played harder, played tougher and played like it meant more to them -- particularly to open the game in Knoxville.
Not this time, though. And not in this tournament, which might as well be played in Rupp Arena.
“The blue dust is everywhere. It’s incredible,” Kentucky coach John Calipari exclaimed.
So were his No. 2-ranked Wildcats, who broke the Vols’ will in the second half and handed Bruce Pearl the most lopsided loss of his Tennessee career, a 74-45 beatdown that went from a reasonably close game to a rout about as quickly as Wall goes from one baseline to the other.
“Coach told us, ‘Don’t let them play harder than you,’ ” said Kentucky freshman Eric Bledsoe, who was 4-of-5 from 3-point range in the second half. “That’s how we came out. We knew it was going to be a battle when we first set foot on the court.”
A battle? Maybe. But not a professional wrestling match.
The Wildcats (31-2) suggested the Vols tried to turn it into the latter. There were two double technical fouls called, and Tennessee guard Melvin Goins was ejected with 3:33 remaining for a flagrant foul. Replays showed him delivering a cheap shot to the midsection of Kentucky freshman DeMarcus Cousins that landed a little too close to comfort for Cousins’ liking.
“I was a little heated after that one,” said Cousins, who had 19 points and 15 rebounds. “It was a good, competitive clean game, and that just changed the whole game.”
Cousins said what really got him going was Tennessee reserve forward Steven Pearl, who went after Cousins physically early in the game and tried to get under his skin.
“I know what his job was to do, but he didn’t do a good job of it,” Cousins cracked.
Asked just what that job was, Cousins said. “Foul me and try to get me out of my game.”
Kentucky junior forward Patrick Patterson said the Wildcats made a concerted effort to go to Cousins early, especially after he had such a lackluster start in Friday’s game.
“We got him the ball extremely early,” Patterson said. “Whenever he’s involved early and hitting shots and taking charges, he gets a lot more into it.”
And when these guys are hitting 3-pointers, it’s really almost unfair.
“Like coach said, if we’re knocking down shots, we feel no team can beat us,” Wall said.
He wouldn't get much argument from Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl.
"We got outplayed at every position," Pearl said. "Kentucky is the No. 2 team in the country for a reason. They're a really, really good team, and we just did not have the energy after playing two games and coming back and playing this third game. We just didn't have it."
They felt like that’s what happened the last time they played Tennessee. The Vols played harder, played tougher and played like it meant more to them -- particularly to open the game in Knoxville.
AP Photo/Dave MartinKentucky's John Wall was a man on a mission against Tennessee in the SEC semifinals.
“The blue dust is everywhere. It’s incredible,” Kentucky coach John Calipari exclaimed.
So were his No. 2-ranked Wildcats, who broke the Vols’ will in the second half and handed Bruce Pearl the most lopsided loss of his Tennessee career, a 74-45 beatdown that went from a reasonably close game to a rout about as quickly as Wall goes from one baseline to the other.
“Coach told us, ‘Don’t let them play harder than you,’ ” said Kentucky freshman Eric Bledsoe, who was 4-of-5 from 3-point range in the second half. “That’s how we came out. We knew it was going to be a battle when we first set foot on the court.”
A battle? Maybe. But not a professional wrestling match.
The Wildcats (31-2) suggested the Vols tried to turn it into the latter. There were two double technical fouls called, and Tennessee guard Melvin Goins was ejected with 3:33 remaining for a flagrant foul. Replays showed him delivering a cheap shot to the midsection of Kentucky freshman DeMarcus Cousins that landed a little too close to comfort for Cousins’ liking.
“I was a little heated after that one,” said Cousins, who had 19 points and 15 rebounds. “It was a good, competitive clean game, and that just changed the whole game.”
Cousins said what really got him going was Tennessee reserve forward Steven Pearl, who went after Cousins physically early in the game and tried to get under his skin.
“I know what his job was to do, but he didn’t do a good job of it,” Cousins cracked.
Asked just what that job was, Cousins said. “Foul me and try to get me out of my game.”
Kentucky junior forward Patrick Patterson said the Wildcats made a concerted effort to go to Cousins early, especially after he had such a lackluster start in Friday’s game.
“We got him the ball extremely early,” Patterson said. “Whenever he’s involved early and hitting shots and taking charges, he gets a lot more into it.”
And when these guys are hitting 3-pointers, it’s really almost unfair.
“Like coach said, if we’re knocking down shots, we feel no team can beat us,” Wall said.
He wouldn't get much argument from Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl.
"We got outplayed at every position," Pearl said. "Kentucky is the No. 2 team in the country for a reason. They're a really, really good team, and we just did not have the energy after playing two games and coming back and playing this third game. We just didn't have it."
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The 3-point shots started to fall for Kentucky in the second half, thanks to Eric Bledsoe and Darnell Dodson.
But the defense, the rebounding, the endless pursuit of the 50-50 balls … they’ve been a constant all season.
The No. 2-ranked Wildcats had to work for it, but they were just too physical, too big and too talented for Tennessee and pulled away in the second half for a 74-45 semifinal romp in the SEC tournament.
Something just seems right in the world when the Wildcats are back in the SEC tournament championship game. Think about this: They’ve now played in the semifinals of this tourney 36 times and have failed to make the final only twice.
Kentucky (31-2) will face the winner of the second semifinal between Mississippi State and Vanderbilt in Sunday’s championship game. The Wildcats will be gunning for their 26th tournament championship.
It was a rugged game and void of much finesse. There was a double technical foul called on Tennessee’s Wayne Chism and Kentucky’s DeMarcus Cousins, and Tennessee guard Melvin Goins was ejected a few minutes later for a flagrant foul after replays showed that he delivered a shot to Cousins’ midsection.
Kentucky couldn’t buy a jump shot in the first half and struggled from the free-throw line all game, but Bledsoe connected on two straight from 3-point range early in the second half to open up the game. Dotson opened it up even more with just under eight minutes to play when he knocked down back-to-back 3’s.
In the second half, Bledsoe and Dodson combined to go 6-of-9 from 3-point range, a scary thought for anybody who has to face these guys in the NCAA tournament.
If they're hitting from the perimeter, coupled with Kentucky's muscle inside and John Wall's ability to get to the glass, the Wildcats are as good a pick as any to win the NCAA tournament.
The Vols (25-8) got nothing easy on offense and shot just 30.9 percent from field.
Cousins had his problems at the free-throw line (7-of-17), but he was a beast inside with 19 points and 15 rebounds, his 19th double-double of the season. That's after he looked disinterested in the Wildcats' quarterfinal game.
But the defense, the rebounding, the endless pursuit of the 50-50 balls … they’ve been a constant all season.
The No. 2-ranked Wildcats had to work for it, but they were just too physical, too big and too talented for Tennessee and pulled away in the second half for a 74-45 semifinal romp in the SEC tournament.
Something just seems right in the world when the Wildcats are back in the SEC tournament championship game. Think about this: They’ve now played in the semifinals of this tourney 36 times and have failed to make the final only twice.
Kentucky (31-2) will face the winner of the second semifinal between Mississippi State and Vanderbilt in Sunday’s championship game. The Wildcats will be gunning for their 26th tournament championship.
It was a rugged game and void of much finesse. There was a double technical foul called on Tennessee’s Wayne Chism and Kentucky’s DeMarcus Cousins, and Tennessee guard Melvin Goins was ejected a few minutes later for a flagrant foul after replays showed that he delivered a shot to Cousins’ midsection.
Kentucky couldn’t buy a jump shot in the first half and struggled from the free-throw line all game, but Bledsoe connected on two straight from 3-point range early in the second half to open up the game. Dotson opened it up even more with just under eight minutes to play when he knocked down back-to-back 3’s.
In the second half, Bledsoe and Dodson combined to go 6-of-9 from 3-point range, a scary thought for anybody who has to face these guys in the NCAA tournament.
If they're hitting from the perimeter, coupled with Kentucky's muscle inside and John Wall's ability to get to the glass, the Wildcats are as good a pick as any to win the NCAA tournament.
The Vols (25-8) got nothing easy on offense and shot just 30.9 percent from field.
Cousins had his problems at the free-throw line (7-of-17), but he was a beast inside with 19 points and 15 rebounds, his 19th double-double of the season. That's after he looked disinterested in the Wildcats' quarterfinal game.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Maybe Kentucky has made all the jumpers it’s going to make this season.
But say this for the No. 2-ranked Wildcats: When they decide they’re going to guard you, good luck.
Kentucky held Tennessee scoreless in the final 6:10 of the first half and slugged its way to a 32-19 halftime lead in the first SEC tournament semifinal at Bridgestone Arena.
The Wildcats’ defense was suffocating, and the Vols didn’t get any easy looks. It was their lowest scoring half of the season. Making matters worse for Tennessee was that senior forward Wayne Chism only played 10 minutes in the first half after picking up two fouls.
Even off the court, Kentucky proved it can provide plenty of fireworks.
There were two different incidents on the bench in the first half. The first one came after freshman DeMarcus Cousins got mad and threw a towel during a timeout. Kentucky coach John Calipari stormed over to where he was sitting a few seconds later, got in his face and had a few choice words for him.
Just a couple of minutes later, it got even crazier. Freshman Daniel Orton lost his cool and started screaming at the Kentucky coaches. He then stormed off to the locker room (perhaps told to go) with a couple of Kentucky staff members in tow.
He was back a few seconds later, followed by assistant strength coach Scott Padgett, and slapped hands with Calipari.
Hey, call them Team Turmoil.
But, then, that’s what you get sometimes with freshmen. If the Wildcats keep playing defense like this, Calipari can probably live with some of the childishness.
But say this for the No. 2-ranked Wildcats: When they decide they’re going to guard you, good luck.
Kentucky held Tennessee scoreless in the final 6:10 of the first half and slugged its way to a 32-19 halftime lead in the first SEC tournament semifinal at Bridgestone Arena.
The Wildcats’ defense was suffocating, and the Vols didn’t get any easy looks. It was their lowest scoring half of the season. Making matters worse for Tennessee was that senior forward Wayne Chism only played 10 minutes in the first half after picking up two fouls.
Even off the court, Kentucky proved it can provide plenty of fireworks.
There were two different incidents on the bench in the first half. The first one came after freshman DeMarcus Cousins got mad and threw a towel during a timeout. Kentucky coach John Calipari stormed over to where he was sitting a few seconds later, got in his face and had a few choice words for him.
Just a couple of minutes later, it got even crazier. Freshman Daniel Orton lost his cool and started screaming at the Kentucky coaches. He then stormed off to the locker room (perhaps told to go) with a couple of Kentucky staff members in tow.
He was back a few seconds later, followed by assistant strength coach Scott Padgett, and slapped hands with Calipari.
Hey, call them Team Turmoil.
But, then, that’s what you get sometimes with freshmen. If the Wildcats keep playing defense like this, Calipari can probably live with some of the childishness.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The coaches in this league bristle any time they hear it, but they’ve heard it often over the last two years.
The SEC just ain’t what it used to be when it comes to hoops.
That’s what happens when only three teams from the league make the NCAA Tournament, which was the case in 2009, and they manage a grand total of one win among them.
And let’s face it. When Kentucky’s down, the rest of the league is going to be accused of being down, whether it genuinely is or isn't.
This season, Kentucky has ascended back to the top of its Big Blue perch in the SEC thanks to John Calipari and his triumvirate of some of the most talented freshmen in the land.
The knock nationally on the league now is that it’s Kentucky and then everybody else.
Perhaps so, but Saturday’s SEC tournament semifinals should provide some riveting drama with more than a few compelling storylines. Here’s a look:
Game 1: Kentucky (30-2) vs. Tennessee (25-7), 1 p.m. ET
What’s at stake: Both teams are safely in the NCAA Tournament. Kentucky’s a lock for a No. 1 seed, and Tennessee is likely a No. 4 seed. But a second straight win over the Wildcats could push the Vols as high as a No. 3 seed. Tennessee handed Kentucky one of its two losses this season back on Feb. 27 in Knoxville. The Wildcats would love to exact a little payback for that loss. It’s no secret these two coaches aren’t pen pals and have traded barbs in the past, particularly when Calipari was at Memphis. But Bruce Pearl has held his own on the court. He’s 3-3 against Calipari, and two of those wins came over Calipari-coached teams that were ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the country.
Scouting the game: Can either of these teams make a 3-pointer? Kentucky was 1-of-13 in its quarterfinal win over Alabama. Tennessee was 4-of-23 in its first-round win over LSU and a little better Friday in its quarterfinal win over Ole Miss. The Vols were 8-of-23 from 3-point range, although most of that was Cameron Tatum. He came off the bench to go 4-of-4 in the first half and keep Tennessee close. Everybody has been playing zone against Kentucky, including Tennessee in both of the earlier meetings this season. Kentucky freshman big man DeMarcus Cousins was a no-show Friday after getting into early foul trouble. It will be interesting to see if he got his bad game out of his system.
Wildcat to watch: Freshman point guard John Wall has been fabulous. For a guy who’s not a pure shooter, it’s uncanny how he can take over games. He has a sixth sense about him -- he knows when the Wildcats need him to go on one of his tears. And when he decides he’s going to take the ball to the basket, there’s nobody in college basketball who's any better. As for not being able to shoot it all that well, he huffs, “I can make shots when it’s time to make shots.”
Vol to watch: Senior forward Wayne Chism is making himself a lot of money right now. He’s always been a good shooter for a big man, but he had 15 rebounds against Ole Miss and 11 rebounds against LSU. He’s also an outstanding defender and can guard anybody on the floor because he moves his feet so well. He’ll have his work cut out against the Kentucky tandem of Patrick Patterson and Cousins.
They said it: “You know they’ve been waiting on this one and would love to take us down, but we haven’t rolled over for anybody all season and aren’t going to start now.” -- Tennessee senior guard Bobby Maze
Game 2: Mississippi State (22-9) vs. Vanderbilt (24-7), 3:15 p.m. ET
What’s at stake: Not a lot for Vanderbilt, which played well in the second half against Georgia in the quarterfinals and should be a solid No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Still, the Commodores want to make sure they're playing their best basketball going into next week. Plus, they haven’t won an SEC tournament title since 1951. Mississippi State has no choice but to win Saturday to have any chance to make the NCAA field. The Bulldogs were one of the last teams out of the field following Friday’s play, according to ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi, which means there’s hope. Beating Vanderbilt would be the kind of marquee win that could push the Bulldogs into the NCAA Tournament. They won four games in four days a year ago to play their way into the field.
Scouting the game: This is Kevin Stallings’ best and most talented team since he’s been at Vanderbilt. The Commodores have size, depth and can score a variety of different ways. When senior point guard Jermaine Beal shoots it well, they’re really tough to beat. Mississippi State has been a difficult team to figure this season. The Bulldogs had played well until the end of the regular season, but lost at Auburn and then played terribly in a home loss to Tennessee on Senior Day. The good news for them is that they shot it well in their quarterfinal victory over Florida, going 10-of-20 from 3-point range. When Ravern Johnson and Barry Stewart get it going from outside, they’re a whole different team.
Commodore to watch: Freshman guard John Jenkins came off the bench to score a career-high 25 points against Georgia and was 5-of-8 from 3-point range. He scored 12 straight points to help the Commodores pull away in the second half. The problem with Jenkins is that you simply can’t leave him. But with Vanderbilt having so many other scoring options, teams are forced to make tough choices.
Bulldog to watch: Senior forward Jarvis Varnado is the NCAA’s all-time shot-blocking king. When he’s on the floor, nothing comes easy against the Bulldogs. The Commodores have good size and will throw several different bodies at him, but Varnado has to stay out of foul trouble if Mississippi State is going to make it to the championship game for the second straight year. For the season, Varnado has 152 blocks. As a team, Vanderbilt has 164.
They said it: “I feel like we have nothing to lose, you know. We just come out here to play hard and play together. We had success last year in playing together, and we wanted to keep that focus coming into this tournament. We ain’t the deepest team, but we’re going to fight hard.” – Mississippi State forward Jarvis Varnado
The SEC just ain’t what it used to be when it comes to hoops.
That’s what happens when only three teams from the league make the NCAA Tournament, which was the case in 2009, and they manage a grand total of one win among them.
And let’s face it. When Kentucky’s down, the rest of the league is going to be accused of being down, whether it genuinely is or isn't.
This season, Kentucky has ascended back to the top of its Big Blue perch in the SEC thanks to John Calipari and his triumvirate of some of the most talented freshmen in the land.
The knock nationally on the league now is that it’s Kentucky and then everybody else.
Perhaps so, but Saturday’s SEC tournament semifinals should provide some riveting drama with more than a few compelling storylines. Here’s a look:
Game 1: Kentucky (30-2) vs. Tennessee (25-7), 1 p.m. ET
What’s at stake: Both teams are safely in the NCAA Tournament. Kentucky’s a lock for a No. 1 seed, and Tennessee is likely a No. 4 seed. But a second straight win over the Wildcats could push the Vols as high as a No. 3 seed. Tennessee handed Kentucky one of its two losses this season back on Feb. 27 in Knoxville. The Wildcats would love to exact a little payback for that loss. It’s no secret these two coaches aren’t pen pals and have traded barbs in the past, particularly when Calipari was at Memphis. But Bruce Pearl has held his own on the court. He’s 3-3 against Calipari, and two of those wins came over Calipari-coached teams that were ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the country.
Scouting the game: Can either of these teams make a 3-pointer? Kentucky was 1-of-13 in its quarterfinal win over Alabama. Tennessee was 4-of-23 in its first-round win over LSU and a little better Friday in its quarterfinal win over Ole Miss. The Vols were 8-of-23 from 3-point range, although most of that was Cameron Tatum. He came off the bench to go 4-of-4 in the first half and keep Tennessee close. Everybody has been playing zone against Kentucky, including Tennessee in both of the earlier meetings this season. Kentucky freshman big man DeMarcus Cousins was a no-show Friday after getting into early foul trouble. It will be interesting to see if he got his bad game out of his system.
Wildcat to watch: Freshman point guard John Wall has been fabulous. For a guy who’s not a pure shooter, it’s uncanny how he can take over games. He has a sixth sense about him -- he knows when the Wildcats need him to go on one of his tears. And when he decides he’s going to take the ball to the basket, there’s nobody in college basketball who's any better. As for not being able to shoot it all that well, he huffs, “I can make shots when it’s time to make shots.”
Vol to watch: Senior forward Wayne Chism is making himself a lot of money right now. He’s always been a good shooter for a big man, but he had 15 rebounds against Ole Miss and 11 rebounds against LSU. He’s also an outstanding defender and can guard anybody on the floor because he moves his feet so well. He’ll have his work cut out against the Kentucky tandem of Patrick Patterson and Cousins.
They said it: “You know they’ve been waiting on this one and would love to take us down, but we haven’t rolled over for anybody all season and aren’t going to start now.” -- Tennessee senior guard Bobby Maze
Game 2: Mississippi State (22-9) vs. Vanderbilt (24-7), 3:15 p.m. ET
What’s at stake: Not a lot for Vanderbilt, which played well in the second half against Georgia in the quarterfinals and should be a solid No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Still, the Commodores want to make sure they're playing their best basketball going into next week. Plus, they haven’t won an SEC tournament title since 1951. Mississippi State has no choice but to win Saturday to have any chance to make the NCAA field. The Bulldogs were one of the last teams out of the field following Friday’s play, according to ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi, which means there’s hope. Beating Vanderbilt would be the kind of marquee win that could push the Bulldogs into the NCAA Tournament. They won four games in four days a year ago to play their way into the field.
Scouting the game: This is Kevin Stallings’ best and most talented team since he’s been at Vanderbilt. The Commodores have size, depth and can score a variety of different ways. When senior point guard Jermaine Beal shoots it well, they’re really tough to beat. Mississippi State has been a difficult team to figure this season. The Bulldogs had played well until the end of the regular season, but lost at Auburn and then played terribly in a home loss to Tennessee on Senior Day. The good news for them is that they shot it well in their quarterfinal victory over Florida, going 10-of-20 from 3-point range. When Ravern Johnson and Barry Stewart get it going from outside, they’re a whole different team.
Commodore to watch: Freshman guard John Jenkins came off the bench to score a career-high 25 points against Georgia and was 5-of-8 from 3-point range. He scored 12 straight points to help the Commodores pull away in the second half. The problem with Jenkins is that you simply can’t leave him. But with Vanderbilt having so many other scoring options, teams are forced to make tough choices.
Bulldog to watch: Senior forward Jarvis Varnado is the NCAA’s all-time shot-blocking king. When he’s on the floor, nothing comes easy against the Bulldogs. The Commodores have good size and will throw several different bodies at him, but Varnado has to stay out of foul trouble if Mississippi State is going to make it to the championship game for the second straight year. For the season, Varnado has 152 blocks. As a team, Vanderbilt has 164.
They said it: “I feel like we have nothing to lose, you know. We just come out here to play hard and play together. We had success last year in playing together, and we wanted to keep that focus coming into this tournament. We ain’t the deepest team, but we’re going to fight hard.” – Mississippi State forward Jarvis Varnado
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The blue was so prevalent in Bridgestone Arena during Friday's first quarterfinal session that Tennessee guard Bobby Maze would have sworn he was in Rupp Arena.
The Wildcats played the first game and the Vols the second game, both advancing to meet in Saturday's semifinals of the SEC tournament.
"I'm looking around at all that blue and thinking, 'Aren't we in a city in Tennessee?' " Maze said. "I knew a lot about their tradition, but I didn't know how much Kentucky traveled. I had no idea they were going to book every hotel, that they were going to book all the clubs, all the events and buy up all the tickets.
"I mean, they travel like the Million Man March."
Maze scoffed at the notion that 80 percent of the crowd was wearing blue.
"I'd say 97 percent," he huffed.
Indeed, you've got to hand it to Kentucky fans. Not only do they have an uncanny way of finding their way into the arena, but they're resourceful enough to score press passes.
The blue in the interview room was blinding when Kentucky coach John Calipari addressed the media, although nobody broke out into any renditions of "My Old Kentucky Home."
The Wildcats played the first game and the Vols the second game, both advancing to meet in Saturday's semifinals of the SEC tournament.
"I'm looking around at all that blue and thinking, 'Aren't we in a city in Tennessee?' " Maze said. "I knew a lot about their tradition, but I didn't know how much Kentucky traveled. I had no idea they were going to book every hotel, that they were going to book all the clubs, all the events and buy up all the tickets.
"I mean, they travel like the Million Man March."
Maze scoffed at the notion that 80 percent of the crowd was wearing blue.
"I'd say 97 percent," he huffed.
Indeed, you've got to hand it to Kentucky fans. Not only do they have an uncanny way of finding their way into the arena, but they're resourceful enough to score press passes.
The blue in the interview room was blinding when Kentucky coach John Calipari addressed the media, although nobody broke out into any renditions of "My Old Kentucky Home."
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee can be a tough team to watch, especially offensively.
But the Vols’ half-court defense right now is as good as it’s been under Bruce Pearl, and it’s the reason they find themselves in the SEC tournament semifinals for the third straight year.
They clamped down on Ole Miss and pulled away for a 76-65 victory and will face Kentucky on Saturday.
Making it this far in the SEC tournament is nothing to sneeze at in the realm of Tennessee basketball. Prior to the 2008 tourney, the Vols were the only team in the league that hadn’t advanced past the quarterfinal round since the league expanded in 1992.
Now they’ve done it for three straight years.
The mere fact that Tennessee has 25 wins is stunning considering where this program was back on Jan. 1 with four players facing weapons and drug charges. Leading scorer Tyler Smith ended up being kicked off the team.
It’s been Pearl's best coaching job, and he’s done it with a team that has struggled to find any offensive continuity.
The next two days won’t be a lot of fun for the Rebels (21-10). They probably needed to win Friday to have a serious shot at the NCAA tournament. Now, it looks like the NIT.
If you're looking for ugly stats, look no further than the Rebels' free-throw shooting. They were 12-of-25 from the stripe.
But the Vols’ half-court defense right now is as good as it’s been under Bruce Pearl, and it’s the reason they find themselves in the SEC tournament semifinals for the third straight year.
They clamped down on Ole Miss and pulled away for a 76-65 victory and will face Kentucky on Saturday.
Making it this far in the SEC tournament is nothing to sneeze at in the realm of Tennessee basketball. Prior to the 2008 tourney, the Vols were the only team in the league that hadn’t advanced past the quarterfinal round since the league expanded in 1992.
Now they’ve done it for three straight years.
The mere fact that Tennessee has 25 wins is stunning considering where this program was back on Jan. 1 with four players facing weapons and drug charges. Leading scorer Tyler Smith ended up being kicked off the team.
It’s been Pearl's best coaching job, and he’s done it with a team that has struggled to find any offensive continuity.
The next two days won’t be a lot of fun for the Rebels (21-10). They probably needed to win Friday to have a serious shot at the NCAA tournament. Now, it looks like the NIT.
If you're looking for ugly stats, look no further than the Rebels' free-throw shooting. They were 12-of-25 from the stripe.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- For the second straight day, it’s been a struggle offensively for Tennessee.
But, then, it’s been that way for most of the season.
It looked like the No. 13-ranked Vols might go into halftime with a four- or five-point lead, but some boneheaded offensive possessions in the final minutes cost them. And Ole Miss took advantage, taking a 35-34 lead into the half.
The only reason the Vols are in this game is Cameron Tatum, who was 4-of-4 from 3-point range in the first half.
Tennessee’s not going to be accused of having a surplus of basketball smarts any time soon.
Ole Miss sophomore guard Terrico White is the real thing. He’s athletic and can shoot it.
The Rebels don’t have a lot of size, but they’ve been able to play zone.
If somebody other than Tatum doesn’t step up for the Vols in the second half offensively, they’re going to be headed back East to Knoxville and the Rebels will probably be headed to the NCAA tournament.
Somebody needs to put out an APB for Tennessee sophomore guard Scotty Hopson.
But, then, it’s been that way for most of the season.
It looked like the No. 13-ranked Vols might go into halftime with a four- or five-point lead, but some boneheaded offensive possessions in the final minutes cost them. And Ole Miss took advantage, taking a 35-34 lead into the half.
The only reason the Vols are in this game is Cameron Tatum, who was 4-of-4 from 3-point range in the first half.
Tennessee’s not going to be accused of having a surplus of basketball smarts any time soon.
Ole Miss sophomore guard Terrico White is the real thing. He’s athletic and can shoot it.
The Rebels don’t have a lot of size, but they’ve been able to play zone.
If somebody other than Tatum doesn’t step up for the Vols in the second half offensively, they’re going to be headed back East to Knoxville and the Rebels will probably be headed to the NCAA tournament.
Somebody needs to put out an APB for Tennessee sophomore guard Scotty Hopson.
Pearl: We looked like Kentucky shooting 3's
March, 11, 2010
3/11/10
8:57
PM ET
By
Chris Low | ESPN.com
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl never hesitates to stoke the rivalry with Kentucky.
Both on and off the floor.
Following Tennessee’s woeful shooting performance in its 59-49 victory over LSU on Thursday in the first round of the SEC Tournament, Pearl found a way to bring the Wildcats into the conversation during his postgame radio show on the Vol Network.
Wayne Chism and Brian Williams combined for 10 offensive rebounds against LSU, prompting Pearl to chortle, “There were plenty of them to be had, way too many offensive rebounds to be had because we were 4-for-23 from 3, 17 percent from 3.
“We looked like Kentucky out there launching those things.”
It’s not a revelation that the Wildcats have struggled from 3-point range at times this season. They went one four-game stretch in mid-February where they shot just 16 percent from 3-point land.
Think Pearl’s comments might come back up if Tennessee and Kentucky meet Saturday in the semifinals? The Vols handed the No. 2-ranked Wildcats one of their only two losses earlier this season.
Both on and off the floor.
Following Tennessee’s woeful shooting performance in its 59-49 victory over LSU on Thursday in the first round of the SEC Tournament, Pearl found a way to bring the Wildcats into the conversation during his postgame radio show on the Vol Network.
Wayne Chism and Brian Williams combined for 10 offensive rebounds against LSU, prompting Pearl to chortle, “There were plenty of them to be had, way too many offensive rebounds to be had because we were 4-for-23 from 3, 17 percent from 3.
“We looked like Kentucky out there launching those things.”
It’s not a revelation that the Wildcats have struggled from 3-point range at times this season. They went one four-game stretch in mid-February where they shot just 16 percent from 3-point land.
Think Pearl’s comments might come back up if Tennessee and Kentucky meet Saturday in the semifinals? The Vols handed the No. 2-ranked Wildcats one of their only two losses earlier this season.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The stench from this one may resonate for a while.
For Tennessee’s sake, “a while” had better not last longer than 24 hours.
There’s no other way to describe Tennessee’s 59-49 victory over LSU on Thursday as anything other than a real stinkeroo. Up next for the No. 13-ranked Vols on Friday is an Ole Miss team fighting for its NCAA tournament life.
If not for their defense, the Vols (24-7) would have been in real trouble against the Tigers. They were 4-of-23 from 3-point range and finished with 17 turnovers and six assists in the kind of performance that was anything but befitting of a high seed in the NCAA tournament.
At one point in the second half, somebody turned around on press row and said, “One of these teams is going to the NCAA tournament. Can you tell which one?”
The Tigers (11-20) just couldn’t make enough shots to stage a serious run at the Vols in the final minutes.
Tennessee struggled against LSU’s zone defense, although senior center Wayne Chism was able to maneuver his way for 17 points and 10 rebounds. Junior big man Brian Williams continues to play well for the Vols since returning from his suspension. He yanked down a game-high 14 rebounds.
One of the biggest concerns for the Vols is sophomore Scotty Hopson. He’d played well down the stretch in the regular season after drifting in and out of games the first part of the season. But he was a complete no-show Thursday and had no energy about him in an 0-for-8 performance from the field.
For Tennessee’s sake, “a while” had better not last longer than 24 hours.
There’s no other way to describe Tennessee’s 59-49 victory over LSU on Thursday as anything other than a real stinkeroo. Up next for the No. 13-ranked Vols on Friday is an Ole Miss team fighting for its NCAA tournament life.
If not for their defense, the Vols (24-7) would have been in real trouble against the Tigers. They were 4-of-23 from 3-point range and finished with 17 turnovers and six assists in the kind of performance that was anything but befitting of a high seed in the NCAA tournament.
At one point in the second half, somebody turned around on press row and said, “One of these teams is going to the NCAA tournament. Can you tell which one?”
The Tigers (11-20) just couldn’t make enough shots to stage a serious run at the Vols in the final minutes.
Tennessee struggled against LSU’s zone defense, although senior center Wayne Chism was able to maneuver his way for 17 points and 10 rebounds. Junior big man Brian Williams continues to play well for the Vols since returning from his suspension. He yanked down a game-high 14 rebounds.
One of the biggest concerns for the Vols is sophomore Scotty Hopson. He’d played well down the stretch in the regular season after drifting in and out of games the first part of the season. But he was a complete no-show Thursday and had no energy about him in an 0-for-8 performance from the field.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The SEC tournament returns to Nashville for the first time in four years, and tickets are hard to come by.
Even some of the seats in the upper reaches of Bridgestone Arena are going for three times their face value, and watch those prices continue to soar if Kentucky is in the championship game on Sunday.
The Wildcats get a bye on Thursday along with Vanderbilt in the East and Mississippi State and Ole Miss in the West.
Here’s a quick glance at Thursday’s first-round games:
Game 1: Alabama vs. South Carolina
What’s at stake: Alabama coach Anthony Grant said his team is playing some of its best basketball of the season entering the tournament, but it’s been a bumpy ride at times for the Crimson Tide in Year No. 1 under Grant. Unless the Gamecocks get hot and win the tournament, they’re looking at a sixth straight season of staying home for the NCAA tournament. They haven’t won an NCAA tournament game since 1973.
What to look for: If South Carolina senior guard Devan Downey is on, he’s one of the most dangerous guards in the country. Just ask Kentucky. He had an ankle injury that bothered him the latter part of this season. Keeping him out of the lane will be Alabama’s greatest challenge.
Noting: The Gamecocks played their final 24 games this season without two of their best players, Dominique Archie and Mike Holmes. Alabama forward JaMycal Green, the team’s top rebounder and second leading scorer, was suspended and didn’t play in the Crimson Tide’s 79-70 win over the Gamecocks in Columbia. He’s back in Grant’s good graces now and will play Thursday.
Game 2: LSU vs. Tennessee
What’s at stake: The Tigers won just two conference games this season after winning the SEC regular-season championship a year ago under Trent Johnson. Two of those wins have come in their last four games. The Vols are already penciled into the NCAA Tournament, but a deep run in Nashville could improve their seeding. Right, now they’re probably a No. 4 or No. 5 seed.
What to look for: The Vols have been one of the hottest teams in the SEC, knocking off Kentucky at home a couple of weeks ago and whipping Mississippi State to ruin the Bulldogs’ Senior Day last Saturday. They’ve traditionally struggled in the SEC tournament, though, and have had some epic flame-outs early in the tournament.
Noting: Guard play has not been LSU’s strength this season, but junior Bo Spencer has turned it up in these last couple of weeks and averaged 17.7 points in his last three games. He’s also shot the ball better from 3-point range. Tennessee is 7-1 in Bridgestone Arena and has won six straight games in this building.
Game 3: Auburn vs. Florida
What’s at stake: It’s pretty simple for the Gators. Win or else. They’re sitting precariously on that NCAA tournament bubble for the third straight year. A loss to Auburn would make it difficult to make a case that the Gators deserve an NCAA bid. The next loss for Jeff Lebo may be his last one as the Auburn coach.
What to look for: If Auburn is going to pull the upset, the Tigers have to knock down 3-point shots. They attempt an SEC-high 25.6 3-pointers per game. Chandler Parsons has been the catalyst for the Gators. He’s a big guy who can shoot, handle the basketball and has also gotten better at working his way inside for tough shots. If the game’s on the line, he’s the one Florida will go to. He sank game-winning shots this season at the buzzer against North Carolina State and South Carolina.
Noting: The Gators would like to have a repeat performance at the free-throw line. They made 32-of-40 at the stripe to beat the Tigers during the regular season. Auburn is one of two teams in the SEC to have either led or been tied at some point in the second half this season in conference games. The other is Kentucky. Auburn senior guard Tay Waller has scored 20 or more points in five straight SEC games, the first Auburn player to do that since Wesley Person in 1994.
Game 4: Arkansas vs. Georgia
What’s at stake: Auburn’s Jeff Lebo may be the SEC coach with the hottest seat, but Arkansas’ John Pelphrey will be next in line if the Hogs don’t get it going. They enter the tournament on a five-game losing streak. Georgia has some of the best young talent in the league and also has enough muscle inside to make a run this week.
What to look for: Trey Thompkins and Travis Leslie pose an explosive inside-outside tandem for Georgia. Thompkins has been a force scoring inside this season and is usually automatic on that turnaround jumper in the lane. The high-flying Leslie is one of the best finishers in the league. If you’re looking for a freshman who doesn’t play like a freshman, keep your eyes on Arkansas forward Marshawn Powell, who’s averaging 15.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and also becoming the Hogs’ best leader.
Noting: Arkansas guard Courtney Fortson, who was suspended for the first 14 games of the season, has averaged 18.1 points per game in his 17 games back as a starter. When he has it going, he’s good enough to take over games. But he’s also been known to shoot you out of a game. Fortson had 27 points in Arkansas’ 72-68 win over Georgia in Athens back in February. That’s a game the Bulldogs led by 15 points at the half. Georgia enters the tournament having lost three of its last four games.
Even some of the seats in the upper reaches of Bridgestone Arena are going for three times their face value, and watch those prices continue to soar if Kentucky is in the championship game on Sunday.
The Wildcats get a bye on Thursday along with Vanderbilt in the East and Mississippi State and Ole Miss in the West.
Here’s a quick glance at Thursday’s first-round games:
Game 1: Alabama vs. South Carolina
What’s at stake: Alabama coach Anthony Grant said his team is playing some of its best basketball of the season entering the tournament, but it’s been a bumpy ride at times for the Crimson Tide in Year No. 1 under Grant. Unless the Gamecocks get hot and win the tournament, they’re looking at a sixth straight season of staying home for the NCAA tournament. They haven’t won an NCAA tournament game since 1973.
What to look for: If South Carolina senior guard Devan Downey is on, he’s one of the most dangerous guards in the country. Just ask Kentucky. He had an ankle injury that bothered him the latter part of this season. Keeping him out of the lane will be Alabama’s greatest challenge.
Noting: The Gamecocks played their final 24 games this season without two of their best players, Dominique Archie and Mike Holmes. Alabama forward JaMycal Green, the team’s top rebounder and second leading scorer, was suspended and didn’t play in the Crimson Tide’s 79-70 win over the Gamecocks in Columbia. He’s back in Grant’s good graces now and will play Thursday.
Game 2: LSU vs. Tennessee
What’s at stake: The Tigers won just two conference games this season after winning the SEC regular-season championship a year ago under Trent Johnson. Two of those wins have come in their last four games. The Vols are already penciled into the NCAA Tournament, but a deep run in Nashville could improve their seeding. Right, now they’re probably a No. 4 or No. 5 seed.
What to look for: The Vols have been one of the hottest teams in the SEC, knocking off Kentucky at home a couple of weeks ago and whipping Mississippi State to ruin the Bulldogs’ Senior Day last Saturday. They’ve traditionally struggled in the SEC tournament, though, and have had some epic flame-outs early in the tournament.
Noting: Guard play has not been LSU’s strength this season, but junior Bo Spencer has turned it up in these last couple of weeks and averaged 17.7 points in his last three games. He’s also shot the ball better from 3-point range. Tennessee is 7-1 in Bridgestone Arena and has won six straight games in this building.
Game 3: Auburn vs. Florida
What’s at stake: It’s pretty simple for the Gators. Win or else. They’re sitting precariously on that NCAA tournament bubble for the third straight year. A loss to Auburn would make it difficult to make a case that the Gators deserve an NCAA bid. The next loss for Jeff Lebo may be his last one as the Auburn coach.
What to look for: If Auburn is going to pull the upset, the Tigers have to knock down 3-point shots. They attempt an SEC-high 25.6 3-pointers per game. Chandler Parsons has been the catalyst for the Gators. He’s a big guy who can shoot, handle the basketball and has also gotten better at working his way inside for tough shots. If the game’s on the line, he’s the one Florida will go to. He sank game-winning shots this season at the buzzer against North Carolina State and South Carolina.
Noting: The Gators would like to have a repeat performance at the free-throw line. They made 32-of-40 at the stripe to beat the Tigers during the regular season. Auburn is one of two teams in the SEC to have either led or been tied at some point in the second half this season in conference games. The other is Kentucky. Auburn senior guard Tay Waller has scored 20 or more points in five straight SEC games, the first Auburn player to do that since Wesley Person in 1994.
Game 4: Arkansas vs. Georgia
What’s at stake: Auburn’s Jeff Lebo may be the SEC coach with the hottest seat, but Arkansas’ John Pelphrey will be next in line if the Hogs don’t get it going. They enter the tournament on a five-game losing streak. Georgia has some of the best young talent in the league and also has enough muscle inside to make a run this week.
What to look for: Trey Thompkins and Travis Leslie pose an explosive inside-outside tandem for Georgia. Thompkins has been a force scoring inside this season and is usually automatic on that turnaround jumper in the lane. The high-flying Leslie is one of the best finishers in the league. If you’re looking for a freshman who doesn’t play like a freshman, keep your eyes on Arkansas forward Marshawn Powell, who’s averaging 15.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and also becoming the Hogs’ best leader.
Noting: Arkansas guard Courtney Fortson, who was suspended for the first 14 games of the season, has averaged 18.1 points per game in his 17 games back as a starter. When he has it going, he’s good enough to take over games. But he’s also been known to shoot you out of a game. Fortson had 27 points in Arkansas’ 72-68 win over Georgia in Athens back in February. That’s a game the Bulldogs led by 15 points at the half. Georgia enters the tournament having lost three of its last four games.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- After hanging around for much of the game, Vanderbilt was at its best Wednesday when it counted most.
The Commodores hit every big shot and made every key play in the final 10 minutes. They extended their winning streak to 10 games and handed 14th-ranked Tennessee its first home loss of the season.
The 85-76 win by Vanderbilt was Kevin Stallings' first over Bruce Pearl at Thompson-Boling Arena. More importantly, the Commodores (16-3, 5-0) won for the third time this season on the road in the SEC.
There's still a lot of basketball left to be played, but this is shaping up to be perhaps Stallings' best and most complete team.
The Commodores go nine deep with very little drop-off. They have good size, and have a senior point guard who can lead them where they want to go.
Jermaine Beal was sensational Wednesday with a game-high 25 points. He triggered the decisive run with eight straight points, including back-to-back 3-pointers, to turn a 66-60 game into a 74-60 runaway with 4:57 remaining.
Vanderbilt made its run with Tennessee's Wayne Chism on the bench. Chism hyperextended his knee in the loss to Georgia last weekend.
The Vols (15-4, 3-2) have now lost two straight after winning seven in a row. They went cold from 3-point range in the second half and couldn't answer the Commodores' charge.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- It's an orange jacket game for Bruce Pearl, which means either Kentucky or Vanderbilt must be in town.
In this case, it's the red-hot Commodores, and it's Pearl's way of paying homage to former Tennessee coach Ray Mears.
Pearl has never lost to Vanderbilt in Thompson-Boling Arena, but that streak will be put to the test Wednesday night.
The 21st-ranked Commodores have won nine straight games, and according to Pearl, are playing as well as anybody that's come to Thompson-Boling Arena this season. And that includes Kansas.
Vanderbilt is 4-0 in SEC play for the first time in the Kevin Stallings' era. It's also a team that doesn't go quietly even if you get it down by double digits. The Commodores trailed by as many as 16 points in their last game against Auburn, but rallied to win 82-74.
With a trip to Kentucky looming on Saturday, this is a critical game for the Commodores if they're going to keep their momentum going.
In this case, it's the red-hot Commodores, and it's Pearl's way of paying homage to former Tennessee coach Ray Mears.
Pearl has never lost to Vanderbilt in Thompson-Boling Arena, but that streak will be put to the test Wednesday night.
The 21st-ranked Commodores have won nine straight games, and according to Pearl, are playing as well as anybody that's come to Thompson-Boling Arena this season. And that includes Kansas.
Vanderbilt is 4-0 in SEC play for the first time in the Kevin Stallings' era. It's also a team that doesn't go quietly even if you get it down by double digits. The Commodores trailed by as many as 16 points in their last game against Auburn, but rallied to win 82-74.
With a trip to Kentucky looming on Saturday, this is a critical game for the Commodores if they're going to keep their momentum going.
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ABOUT THIS BLOG
Eamonn Brennan
Brennan joined ESPN.com in 2009 after several years of blogging at Yahoo! and other places around the Internet. The Iowa native lives in Chicago with his roommates, his dog, and a crippling addiction to caffeine.
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