After COVID-19 outbreak within the program canceled Tennessee’s first four games and delayed its season two week, the Vols were able to put together a strong non conference slate. Tennessee totaled a 6-0 record with a top 25 Ken Pom win over Colorado.
Things get ratcheted up Wednesday as the No. 7 Vols start SEC play at No. 12 Missouri.
Here’s what we learned about Tennessee in the pre conference slate and here’s questions we still have about the Vols entering SEC play.
What we learned
Vols are every bit as good as advertised on defense
Entering the season we knew that Tennessee’s defense would likely be its strength and had a chance to be really good. Through six games, they look better than advertised.
Tennessee is harassing teams on the defensive end giving up an SEC low 52.7 points per game. Just two of Tennessee’s opponents have eclipsed 60 points this season and three others have failed to score 50 points.
With improved guard depth, Tennessee has been able to play more aggressive on defense and it’s led to them forcing more turnovers, 17.7 per game, and getting more baskets in transition, averaging 19.7 points off turnovers a game.
We knew what Tennessee had defensively in the front court with reigning SEC Defensive Player of the Year Yves Pons and solid defender John Fulkerson.
The freshman guards have been as good as advertised on the defensive end and clearly don’t have the offense first mindset of most five-stars. Josiah Jordan James has made a big jump on the defensive end averaging 1.5 steals and 0.8 blocks per game.
Vols’ guards provide even more quality depth than expected
We touched on it a bit in the last section but perhaps the most impressive part of Tennessee’s team has been the depth of its guards. Entering the season you felt like you knew what you were getting with Santiago Vescovi and James, but you never know for sure about newcomers.
Victor Bailey Jr., Jaden Springer and Keon Johnson all have been very impressive so far this season. Bailey hunts his shots and has more confidence than any other Tennessee player on the offensive end of the floor. Bailey’s 13.2 points per game leads Tennessee and his three-point shot gives the Vols a second strong three-point shooter besides Vescovi.
Jaden Springer has been very impressive, especially on the offensive end where he’s averaging 11.5 points per game and has made an impressive six-of-nine threes. The freshman from Charlotte is Tennessee’s best guard at creating his own shot, using his strength and balance to get good looks from five to 10 feet.
Johnson isn’t as polished on the offensive end, averaging 7.7 points per game, but it’s easy to see the freak athleticism on the defensive end and he should only get better on offense.
Add Vescovi and James into the mix and you have five guards that average between 7.7 and 13.2 points per game. All five of Tennessee’s guards are good players, but it’s the depth they create and how hard and selfless they play that make them even better than expected.
Tennessee will play in-and-out even if not in the same style we’re accustomed to
The past three to four seasons Tennessee’s offense has run through the post, either with John Fulkerson or Grant Williams. That may still end up being the case this season, but it’s clear that Barnes trusts his guards to take the lead on offense and take good shots.
And that’s what Tennessee is going to do. They’re going to take shots around the basket first, whether that’s with Fulkerson, Pons, Springer or whoever. Even with more guards Barnes’ trust on offense, don’t expect Tennessee’s three-point attempts to make a big leap.
“We really haven’t changed our attack from a year ago at the end of the year,” Rick Barnes said. “We’ve always tried to be an inside-out team, and that’s not just throwing the ball in, it’s dribbling the ball in and all kinds of way to try to get it there. We do like those inside-out threes when they’re rhythm, step-in shots. We think we have guys that can make those shots. We also think we have guys that can drive the ball and create some offense. But most of our sets here are inside-out and that’s what we do and will continue to do.”
I expect Tennessee will give Fulkerson more looks as they get into SEC play and for the senior big man to take more shots.
Questions we have?
Can Tennessee get consistent play from its bench big men?
I’ve talked at length about how great Tennessee’s backcourt depth is, but questions about how effectively the Vols can spell Fulkerson and Pons remains to be seen.
Grad transfer E.J. Anosike hasn’t been a great offensive addition but he’s a solid defender and rebounder while bringing a great toughness to the team. He can continue to give Tennessee the 14 minutes of solid play that he has, but I’m not sure he’s a guy Rick Barnes wants to play 20 plus minutes.
That makes Olivier Nkamhoua the X-factor. The 6-foot-8 sophomore from Finland has improved in his second season, playing nine minutes a game and 4.8 points per game.
Nkamhoua is improved from his freshman season but still needs to improve his rebounding and ability to play without fouling. If he can continue to progress and play a reliable eight-15 minutes off the bench for Tennessee it would be a huge difference maker for this team.
“I feel like it’s in the fact that there’s a lot for me to learn and not trying to force myself to feel like when I go out there I need to be perfect,” Nkamhoua said. “I just need to play hard. I need to get better every minute I’m on the court. I need to get better even on the bench when I’m watching my teammates play. I need to get better at every practice and I need to prepare for the games as best I can.”
If Nkamhoua can’t give Tennessee that many minutes a game, look for the Vols to go small and play James at the four, a spot he’s seen some action at this season.
Do Fulkerson and Pons find another gear?
Entering the season, the expectation was that Tennessee would rely on its frontcourt duo of seniors John Fulkerson and Yves Pons. The two earned Preseason All SEC Honors and were on the preseason Wooden Award Watchlist.
Thus far, that hasn’t been the case. Fulkerson is second on the team with 11.8 points per game but Pons hasn’t hit his stride offensively, averaging just 7.5 points per game. Both of these totals are lower than their outputs a season ago and some of that is to be expected with Tennessee’s expanded offensive options.
Still Barnes wants to see more consistency from his senior forwards, especially on the glass and around the rim offensively.
“I think Yves has to be more consistent at rebounding,” Barnes said. “I think he has to get to the foul line more. I do not care if he makes a three-point shot all year. I know that when he takes his shot that he works on, he is a high percentage three-point shooter. But the fact is, he has not rebounded the ball the way he is capable of night-in and night-out. I think that he should average double-digit rebounds. And because of that, I think that he should be able to get to the foul line more. I think he should be the hardest guy in the country to block out. He does (contribute) defensively; I do not think that there is any question that he is locked in trying to do that.”
Tennessee has proved it has a good team without running its offense through its frontcourt, but if the Vols can get the high level scoring it did from Fulkerson a season ago and more efficient shooting from Pons, their offense can reach another gear and raise the ceiling of this team.
How far can the freshman guards take this team?
The NCAA Tournament is a guards’ tournament. End of game situations so often come down to guard play and no matter how good John Fulkerson and Yves Pons play, Tennessee will go as far as its guards take them.
As solid as Vescovi and James are and as good a scorer as Bailey is, it’s the two freshmen who are projected first round picks in next June’s NBA Draft that have the potential to take Tennessee to its first Final Four.
Springer is a polished offensive player and if he can get more comfortable pulling three-pointers he could become very, very difficult to guard. Springer also appears to be one of the Vols’ best ball handlers which will play dividends in late game situations.
Johnson’s offensive game to this point isn’t as developed, but he’s no slouch on that end, he’s a dynamic athlete that has a solid mid range jumper. If he can get his poor 18% three-point shooting up it would go a long way as well.
Time will tell how good the five star freshman can play by the end of the season, but if Barnes and his staff can get everything out of the duo it could be a special spring for Tennessee.
So who in the SEC challenges Tennessee?
Tennessee was the media’s preseason pick to win the Southeastern Conference followed by Kentucky and then LSU. The pre conference slate wasn’t a good one for the SEC, headlined by Kentucky’s struggles in its 1-6 start.
No. 12 Missouri is the SEC’s only other ranked team and the Vols will see them to open SEC play Wednesday before welcoming them to Knoxville in January.
LSU is 6-1 after dropping an early matchup to a strong St. Louis team. Will Wade’s Tigers have veteran pieces Trendon Watford and Javonte Smart back and with the trong play of freshman Cameron Thomas should once again be at the top of the SEC standings.
Arkansas is unbeaten entering SEC play after a weak non conference slate and Florida should be good again, but the scary situation that ended Keyontae Johnson’s season is a big hit for the Gators.
