Basketball season is officially underway. Maybe you heard the noise. The Vols’ Southeastern Conference opener was Saturday.
Simple analysis: Tennessee missed 11 free throws and lost at Arkansas by 11.
Complications: Razorbacks got more rebounds. Razorbacks blocked 10 shots and had eight steals. Some of that was home-court aggressiveness, some just plain hustle. Tennessee had nine turnovers in the second half.
Vols couldn’t handle Arkansas guard Darius Acuff. He scored 29. Guard Meleek Thomas had 18.
The comparison of high-profile freshmen was no contest. Nate Ament set a record. He twice lost count of time and place. He was whistled for a five-second in-bounds violation and 10-second backcourt call.
Nate took one shot and had two points in the first half. He later missed the goal and backboard and was harassed thereafter with chants of “air ball” by the big crowd. He missed five free throws but finished with 13 points.
Tennessee played five minutes and 17 seconds in the second half without scoring. The slump featured five fouls and four turnovers. Tennessee had other afternoon problems. It missed 14 shots at or near the rim.
Rick Barnes’ Volunteers lost to John Calipari’s Razorbacks, 86-75. The long-time friends are now even at 846 in coaching career victories.
“I’ve had a few more than that,” said Calipari. “But that’s fine. I understand.”
Surprised he almost brought up the fact that some of his so-called success was erased because of NCAA violations.
I kept thinking the Vols were big enough and good enough to win this game. They were ahead at 58-55 with 11:06 remaining. Arkansas scored 11 consecutive points – one field goal and nine free throws.
Tennessee almost recovered. Back-to-back threes by Karter Knox and Acuff around the three-minute mark removed all doubt.
Tennessee had four more field goals but Arkansas hit 29 of 33 free throws. Officiating was not hostile.
Freshman Amari Evans led the Vols in scoring with 16 on seven of seven from the field. He had one three and was one of two on free throws. He might take away some of somebody’s minutes.
“Amari was terrific,” said Barnes. “Amari is who he is. He’s going to compete.”
Ja’Kobi Gillespie #0 warms up before Saturday’s game at Arkansas.
Ja’Kobi Gillespie scored 14 but missed 10 field-goal attempts. J.P. Estrella was the most accurate shooter – nine points without a miss of any kind.
Barnes had a few post-game thoughts about free throws.
“Well, we’re going to be that kind of team — like I told them after the game — we’re going to struggle all year. When you have a chance to get back in the game, you can’t make them. When you got a chance to stretch it out, you can’t make them.
“I don’t think we have a guy on the team that doesn’t think he can make free throws, but they’re going to have to make them when the lights are on. It just puts so much more pressure on everything that you do.”
Barnes identified other problems. He said blown coverages by post guys were probably the most disappointing thing.
“We did too many things that go into losing, and that’s why we lost … you got to call a timeout when you can’t get the ball in bounds … they made layups, we didn’t … they made free throws, we didn’t.
“And they won because they did the things that were necessary to win it and we didn’t. They played better. They deserved to win.”
Calipari didn’t say a word about free throws.
“For us to out-rebound them by three, you ready for this? They’re No. 1 in the nation in offensive rebounding. We got one or two more than they did. That was the whole game for us.”
The coach said the Vols are really good.
“They ain’t losing many, just so you know. And you know what I’m so happy about? We don’t have to play them again. And if we do play them again, it’s going to be in the conference tournament.
“We’re done with them. Let other people deal with that. Physically inside, the way they rebound, their guard play. They’re really good.”
It’s official. Barnes seconded the motion.
“We’re good enough to beat anybody in the country. We really are, but we’re not going to beat anybody in the country if we don’t take care of the details.”
Tennessee is 10-4. Next opportunity for first SEC victory is Texas on Tuesday at Food City Center.
Marvin West welcomes comments or questions from readers. His address is marvinwest75@gmail.com
Cringed on the missed free throws, especially the front end misses on one-and- ones….what could have been 2 points for the guys (It’s not just 1 miss, it’s two!). Need to finish daily practices with a hundred free throws each before you hit the showers. Get this on autopilot… Defense and free throws win games.
Barnes comments about the horrific free throw shooting was not very encouraging.
It would have been much more reassuring to hear that he was going to get it right.
If Barnes can’t figure it out, then maybe he should call in a sports psychologist.
Tennessee will beat Texas. I said a few games back that missing free throws was going to cost the Vols. You can’t beat a good team on the road by missing layups and free throws. Barnes had better get that fixed, or Tennessee will be struggling to make the tournament. Why do other teams step up to the line and barely draw iron? Thanks Marvin West for the report. Thorough. Cal can be very gracious when he is in the catbird seat.