Tennessee basketball, a fun team to follow, talented and personable, finished a very fine season a few shots short of its stated goal.
There’ll be no championship or even a Final Four, but the gutty Volunteers did not go away without a fight. They couldn’t hit free throws or stop 3-pointers, but they overcame an 18-point deficit and seized a late lead only to lose to Purdue in overtime, 99-94, in the NCAA Sweet 16.
I can’t say best ever – I’m just 85 – but this was the most interesting Tennessee team I can recall.
When Rick Barnes and his people get over the immediate disappointment, they should be proud. I do believe fans will remember this team fondly and with sincere appreciation.
Thirty-one wins? Very good.
Atop the polls for a month? The schedule was favorable.
Individual honors? Richly deserved.
Four years ago, I thought Admiral Schofield would make it based on family background and fierce desire. I had no idea what Kyle Alexander was doing here.
When Grant Williams came from Charlotte a year later, I wondered why Duke and North Carolina showed no interest. I figured limitations outweighed potential. He was too bulky to be a nimble perimeter player and too short to play in the post.
The best I could say about Jordan Bone was he was the fastest point guard I had ever seen at Tennessee – if he was a point guard.
I had never heard of Lamonte Turner. Jordan Bowden was a total surprise, Carter High before a basketball finishing academy, first scholarship player from Knox County in 30 years.
To say these Volunteers developed to a surprising level is an understatement. I had no idea they would work so hard. Coach Barnes emerged as a demanding pusher. Later, the players got the idea and pushed themselves.
“Interesting” is my word for this team. Barnes fretted about inconsistency. The Vols did not play as efficiently on defense as the year before. They did not finish February as they played earlier in the season. They blew big leads (very bad for frayed nerves). There was one great game, the rematch with Kentucky.
Reflections …
Williams was one of the better players in America, a musically gifted academic who excelled at Settlers of Catan. Schofield made a perfect partner. They dubbed themselves peanut butter and jelly.
A late 14-0 run beat Louisville. Schofield scored 25 in the second half for a dramatic victory over then-No. 1 Gonzaga.
There was a gut check at Memphis. The Vols won, 102-92. It was an ugly game with 35 fouls against the Tigers. Coach Penny Hardaway behaved like a tough eighth-grader. He called Barnes “low class.” Everybody else calls him high class.
The Vols did the Gator Chomp in celebration at Florida. Tennessee did not play well against Alabama but the Tide missed 10 of 18 free throws. Williams scored 43, including all 23 free throws, at Vanderbilt. The Vols hit 64.5 percent at Texas A&M.
Tennessee took a 19-game winning streak to Kentucky and got knocked out. The beating was 86-69 and looked worse.
The Vols lost at LSU in overtime. There was some controversial officiating. By the grace of God, the orange team won at Ole Miss. Williams helped with a clutch drive and goal with 4.3 seconds to spare.
Bone was brilliant in the intense rematch with Kentucky, 27 points on 11 of 15 shooting. The Wildcats shot an unlikely 31.8 percent.
Tennessee, sloppy at times, settled for 28 three attempts, lost at Auburn and failed in their bid to repeat as SEC champs. One play seemed to summarize the game: Williams blocked a shot and it turned into a 3-pointer for the home team.
Dramatic comeback from eight points down against Kentucky in the SEC tournament was a forever keeper. Turner, mired in a terrible long-range shooting slump, one for 19, hit the clutch shot in an 82-78 victory.
The Vols committed 17 turnovers in a 20-point loss to Auburn. They could not stop Tiger threes.
Tennessee blew a 16-point lead over Colgate but finally won on a pair of threes by Schofield. Tennessee blew a 25-point bulge over Iowa. Williams took over in overtime for that win. Tennessee lost the first half against Purdue, won the second half and lost the extra period.
Between October and now, these Vols entertained the multitudes, showed goodness as people and visited hospitalized children. Two players stopped along a highway to help a motorist with a flat tire. They competed like crazy but maintained dignity.
Cheers.
Marvin West welcomes reader comments or questions. His address is marvinwest75@gmail.com.