A month ago, Tennessee had everything to be a champion of the Southeast Conference. Volunteers were elected by SEC coaches as the league favorites, started the season 7-0 and won 10 of their first 11 games.
But since January 19, Volunteers are 4-4 and seem to have lost track of the defensive presence that had been a hallmark of their success at the start of the season.
Now ranked 19th and trying to avoid consecutive losses for the second time in a month, they hope to use Wednesday night’s home game in Knoxville against tough South Carolina to reverse and gain momentum for the final weeks of the season. The game was delayed one day due to the COVID-19 protocols within the volunteer program, the SEC announced Monday.
Tennessee (14-5, 7-5 on the SEC) allowed an average of 52.7 points during the first seven games, but yielded 66.3 against the SEC teams. Volunteers awarded most of the season’s points in the 89-81 home win over Georgia on 10 February, then dropped 78-65 at LSU on Saturday.
“I would say that the inconsistency comes from our older players, and that is disappointing,” said Tennessee coach Rick Barnes. “If you are not nervous and do not understand that all possession is important, you will not achieve consistency.
“It doesn’t matter whether you’re playing offense or defense.”
Senior striker John Fulkerson was a candidate for SEC Player of the Year, averaging 12.2 points and 6.2 rebounds in the first 12 games, but averaging 5.4 and 5.1 rebounds in the last seven and was out of the first team at LSU.
Senior teammate Victor Bailey Jr. averaged 13.4 points with 48.3 percent shots in the first nine games, but in the last 10 he averaged just 6.2 points, hitting 27.6 percent. their pitches (18 to 65).
It was freshman Jaden Springer (12.2 points per game) who tried to take the Vols recently, averaging 24.7 points in the last three games.
Against South Carolina last season, Fulkerson added 40 points and 19 rebounds as the teams split the pair of games. The Gamecocks dropped three straight at Knoxville.
Since the impressive 72-66 victory at then-No. 22 Florida on February 3, South Carolina (5-9, 3-7 on the SEC) shot 38.9 percent – 25 percent in the 3-point range – and allowed an average of 79.0 points during a string of three consecutive defeats.
South Carolina’s top scorer AJ Lawson (17.9 ppg) scored 22 in his 81-74 home defeat on Saturday to Mississippi. While the Gamecocks forced 20 moves, they also made 19 on their own and allowed Ole Miss to make half of her 44 shooting attempts.
“I feel like we have to compete,” said Lawson. “I feel like we have given up on many moves, just with effort. Getting a rebound, a lost ball. Effort, offensively and defensively. And then, just play the moves.”
Lawson has scored 43 points in the last two games, but in four games against Tennessee in his career he scored just 31 out of 10 of 36 shots.
– Field-level media
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