Welcome, Longwood, to big-time basketball.
Perhaps you have noticed by now that Delaware State, Pfeiffer, High Point and Radford don’t live here. They contributed to the impressive 19-1 success streak you brought to Indianapolis but it was built in a different world.
The NCAA tournament is for great teams and 50 or so others. Perhaps you’ll be one someday.
As it was, you made an impact. You took up a space Texas A&M could have had.
Tennessee was near enough to awesome – 88-56 winner – to be a good yardstick. The Volunteers didn’t try to show you up. They just had a hard time missing. They shot a season-high 60 percent from the field (33-for-55). They were only a little worse on three-pointers, 58 percent (14-for-24).
The 32-point differential was the second most for Tennessee in an NCAA game. The record is 35 against Long Beach State.
Santiago Vescovi scored 18 points – six threes with two misses. Six tied Chris Lofton’s school record in NCAA games. Seventy-five percent accuracy broke the school record. Think about that: best ever.
Josiah-Jordan James had a pretty good game – 17 points on 6-for-9 shooting. He grabbed nine rebounds.
Kennedy Chandler earned his keep with another all-around performance – 13 points, five rebounds, five assists and four steals. He has 72 for the season, third-most since Tennessee started keeping records.
Zakai Zeigler tossed in 10 points and contributed six assists. Alas, he and Chandler finished with three turnovers each.
Interesting that John Fulkerson ignited the long-range attack. Longwood purchased a scouting report which said beware of Vescovi, one of the best perimeter shooters in the country. The Lancers deployed defenders accordingly.
This strategy combined with Longwood’s size shortage opened up the inside. Fulkerson got four goals in the first five minutes.
Longwood coach Griff Aldrich adjusted. The Lancers closed Fulkerson’s playhouse but cleared space for outside marksmen. That turned into bombs away.
From a 20-17 lead, the Vols reeled off nine consecutive points. A few minutes later, they had a 13-0 run. That was the end of drama. There was no question about which team would win. It was just a matter of by how much.
Tennessee led 54-29 at the rest stop. It had 18 assists on 20 shots. It was the best half of basketball of the season. It was obvious the Lancers were outmanned.
The second half was a little less artistic. The Vols finished with 29 assists, matching a season high set against USC Upstate. Tennessee had 13 steals, most ever in a tournament game.
What happens next figures to be different. Tennessee will play Michigan on Saturday. The Wolverines, seeded 11th, upset Colorado State. Rick Barnes offered no insight.
“I refuse to think about the next game until the current game is finished. I know Michigan I big.”
Assistant coaches are better informed but they don’t sleep much.
Barnes and the players accepted the victory over Longwood with professional calmness.
Fulkerson said it was all about executing the game plan. Vescovi said teammates got him started.
“They found me at the right spot at the right time.”
Chandler said much the same thing.
“My instructions are to the find the open shooter on the wing. Vescovi is a shooter. He was open.”
JJJ said the Vols learned a hard lesson last year, that almost every team is a potential champion.
“You can’t take anything for granted. We have worked tirelessly.”
What Vescovi did and is doing is worth more conversation. He has 103 threes in 34 games. He is only the second Vol to top a hundred. Lofton did it three times. He produced 118 in 2007-08. Allan Houston had 99 in 34 games in 1990-91.
Marvin West welcomes reader comments or questions. His address is marvinwest75@gmail.com