Tennessee Men's Basketball
Alabama served a rude awakening to the Tennessee men’s basketball team early Sunday afternoon.
Reserve guard Anthony Brock hit a leaning 3-pointer that banked in at the buzzer to lift the Tide to a 70-67 upset of the SEC East Division co-champion Vols at Thompson-Boling Arena.
“I would think I would be in a situation where I would say nothing would surprise me about this basketball team,’’ UT coach Bruce Pearl said. “We just never got out of bed.’’
The Vols (19-11, 10-6 SEC) could have won the SEC East title outright with a win, but instead share it with South Carolina (21-8, 10-6).
UT maintains the No. 1 seed in the East for the league tournament in Tampa, Fla., and opens play 7:30 p.m. Friday against the winner of Thursday’s 7:30 p.m. first-round game between Alabama (17-13, 7-9) and Vanderbilt (19-11, 8-8).
The Tide dictated the tempo of Sunday’s contest from the onset, charging out to a 39-29 halftime lead as UT struggled against its 2-3 zone.
“We weren’t executing; no spacing, poor decision making,’’ said Vols’ captain Tyler Smith, who had 11 points, 11 rebounds and four assists. “We weren’t moving the ball as well as we did against Florida and South Carolina.
“This feels like the Memphis game because it’s on me. Shooting 3-for-15 . . . I can’t do that as a leader. If I’m off, I can’t take that many shots.’’
Alabama’s sizable defense repeatedly collapsed on Smith, double- and sometimes triple-teaming him.
The Tide did it at the expense of leaving the Vols open looks on the perimeter.
UT couldn’t take advantage, hitting only one of 11 shots beyond the 3-point arc through the first 20 minutes.
The crowd of 20,493 that turned out for Senior Day was quiet enough that Pearl could clearly be heard yelling plays from the other end of the court throughout.
The Vols didn’t give their followers much to cheer about until Scotty Hopson and Wayne Chism combined on an 11-0 run to pull the Vols to 43-42 with 16:02 remaining.
A pair of Hopson free throws got it going, and then Chism hit back-to-back 3-pointers and Hopson capped the spurt with a trey.
“I thought it was turned around, and everyone else thought that, too,’’ said Chism, who had 13 points and 10 rebounds. “That’s when the crowd started getting into the game, and that gave us some more energy.’’
But while UT was warming up beyond the arc, it cooled considerably from the free-throw line, hitting six of 16 free-throw attempts in the second half, including two misses on the front end of 1-and-1 situations.
“It’s not always about effort — sometimes it’s about focus,’’ said Pearl, whose team hit a season-low .455 (10-of-22) from the free-throw line. “When you miss 10 free throws in the second half, it’s a lost focus, and a lost sense of urgency.’’
Even so, the Vols had the ball with one minute left in a 67-67 game.
Bobby Maze missed a 3-pointer, but Alabama’s Yamene Coleman traveled when he came down with the rebound with 40 seconds left.
Pearl said he chose to run the 35-second clock down for a good look rather than rush a shot with hopes of getting the final possession.
UT got the ball inside to Smith, whose initial shot was blocked by Alabama’s 6-foot-9 JaMychal Green. Smith’s put-back attempt was ruled to have hit the rim, but he ended up with the ball again on the baseline as the shot clock buzzer sounded.
“The ref called the ball out on me,’’ Smith said. “He said I hit the ball out – it wasn’t a shot-clock violation.’’
The Tide inbounded the ball with 4.2 seconds left and rushed upcourt, Brock dribbling to an open area to set up the game-winner.
“Brock made a tough shot; it was about a 22-footer,’’ said Alabama interim coach Philip Pearson, whose Tide has won four of its past five games. “I am just happy it went in the basket.’’
Pearl, meanwhile, said it could be tough for the Vols to pick up the pieces.
“It’s not a very happy locker room,’’ Pearl said. “It does hurt. I don’t think this is one we could recover from quickly.
“Let’s see what happens now. How hungry are we?’’
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Comments » 304
golfballs03 writes:
we didnt deserve to win
MNP78 writes:
First. Damn, what a bad beat
floridavolsfan writes:
Bruce can now be "co-grand marshall" with Foolip Foolmore at the Mule Day parade!!! Tenneessee Pride, Ha!!!
rbull23#216019 writes:
You are not going to win many games when you only hit ten free throws out of twenty-two tries. Also too many missed easy shots under the basket. They will not last long in the SEC Tournament and will play either Alabama or Vanderbilt.
budd#207344 writes:
If you can't make free throws you will not be a championship team.
And if Chism or Smith thinks they should go pro after their repective performances this year, they need to brush up on their Turkish, or Czech, or Italian, or...
lomas98 writes:
It seems every game in the post season can go either way in the final 2 minutes. Most of the games are close. If I am the opposing coach playing TN, I might be tempted to just foul and make them earn it at the line. This loss today I think knocked them from a 6 seed to a 7. A loss on Friday to either Vandy or this Bama team again may knock them to an 8. I think we must get to the finals to think about a 6 seed now.
floridavolsfan writes:
That's an awesome post or is it a women"s basketball coach!!!
golfballs03 writes:
who is stephens?
TooLegit2Quit writes:
Well this loss sums it up the season nicely. Hopefully Tennessee can actually get up for some Tournament games. Embarrassing/disappointing loss to a bad team.
golfballs03 writes:
We can't string together wins. The team loses focus so easily. That isn't conducive to tournament success...
bluetiger writes:
Watching the game today, it occurred to me that last year's Memphis team must have passed on its free throwing shooting to this year's Vols.
Tough loss.
Grim1 writes:
Jekyll and Hyde
235lbVol writes:
I didn't see the game, i figured they'd play sluggish, they always do when there's nothing ot play for....what does desperation 3pt attempt mean? was is a crapp shot that beat us? And I take we shot free throwa pretty bad, that will kill us down the road.
huntined#565710 writes:
Great game by BAMA GOT TO ADMIT THAT LAST SHOT WAS A espn HIGHTLIGHT...can's see what Gator fans has to brag about just someone can beat Tenn but they can't ..7-1 AND WE MAY GET THEM AGAIN IN THE TOURNAMENT..
agohn writes:
Use the backboard for free throws or just step back and take a jump shot.
lomas98 writes:
There was plenty to play for. I think they lost a whole seed in the NCAA today by losing this game.
PureOrange writes:
Guess it was just too much to expect for this team to really want to play another game. Embarrassment!!! Alabama? Why could they not get up to play ALABAMA?
Old habits are hard to break. Guess we will get an early exit from the SEC, and then the NCAA because this bunch does not want to push too hard.
golfballs03 writes:
yeah they looked like they just rolled out of bed. and yes, a it was a BS shot that banked in off the backboard.
Vol_Jokes writes:
Vols basketball..always good for some good laughs. I have never seen a college team miss so many 3 foot shots. 19-11 Vols.....beat at home..again..on national tv..again by a team you should have easily beat. Way to get some momentum heading into the post season. Pearl has not fixed this team all season.
On a brighter note, Memphis has landed yet another of the top recruits in the country. Demarcus Cousins has committed to the Tigers. Cousins is rated as the number 1 power forward in the country. Memphis currently has the top recruiting class in the country and if they can land John Wall it will be the most awesome class in many years of college basketball. Even without Wall this team will challenge for the national championship.
memphis_vol_fan writes:
Maybe. But I'll take this this free throw performance over the choke job at the line in last year's NC game.
You over that yet?
AlpharettaVol writes:
That was very painful to watch. They played most of the game in slo-mo. I would like to know how many 2-ft shots we missed this season in crucial points of the game. As for free throws, we couldn't stand on the pier and throw the ball in the ocean. Let's not complain about that last lucky shot. If we had taken care of business against a less than mediocre team, it would have never come down to that.
DrJCrown_theMagicMan writes:
I heard that..Hows it going today Jammer?
I didn't watch the game but we got beat at the buzzer...wow
golfballs03 writes:
i would like people to start ignoring posts from fans of other schools. only a real loser would get on another teams fan site to post messages.
Grim1 writes:
Dude....UT is already IN the NCAA tourny...we are just playing for seeding now...which at this point looks like a 7 or 8.
elizabethtonvol72 writes:
Layout for next practice: Show up, shoot 100 foul shots.
5 min break, shoot 100 foul shots.
Get some water, shoot 100 foul shots.
Coaches say who we are going to face the next time we play, shoot 100 foul shots.
Practice over. But before you can leave the court, shoot 100 foul shots!
Anyone agree?
teedub writes:
FREETHROWS!!!!!!!
memphis_vol_fan writes:
How cute. A Memphis fan talkin' football.
murrayvol writes:
If you want people to stop, you have to lead golfballs.
huntined#565710 writes:
Show us that third place trophy and that NIT SEED..
7-1 GUYS AND WE MAY GET THE CHANCE TO MAKE IT 3 IN ONE YEAR..
JMP_Vols writes:
You get "tickled."
You're old, aren't you?
murrayvol writes:
Looks like the KNS staffers are working overtime.
Vol_Jokes writes:
Let's all chant together.NIT NIT NIT.
Nothing like playing for 66th place.
What's up with Pearl? Why can't the best coach in the nation fix a broken team?
That game was soo funny my side still hurts from laughing so hard. Beaten again by another lowly team...at home. Was that seniors day? Please say it wasn't. Even I would not want the seniors to go out with a performance like that. Terribly sad.
Vol fans are so fun. You have to talk and be obnoxious and you've never been able to do that with your lowly basketball team so as soon as they started to show signs of being a decent team you guys started all the trash talk. Vols ..the new kings of the SEC and the big brother to Memphis. Seems little brother is showing you up badly ..yet again. What is that record again......19-11......awesome baby.
golfballs03 writes:
for as long as i have commented on this site i haven't responded to losers fans from other schools. but people still do it. if nobody ever responded to them, they would go away. they come on here to get a rise out of people.
huntined#565710 writes:
Your team has got so bad in the last two years..co-champions for you is out of sight...but you LOVE THE NIT
memphis_vol_fan writes:
If that miraculously happens and we don't make it to the dance, atleast we'll have company...you guys!
Hey, UT and UF can watch the tournament together, but Billy D is buyin the beer.
1-7 against Pearl
JMP_Vols writes:
Proud of the NIT.
Good for you.
tnvolintheboro writes:
Just another uninformed "Gator" fan. Go get a job. Your unemployment will end soon!
volcycle writes:
If this is the way we are going to play... we'll be one and done over the next two weeks. They better find the team basketball they played in the previous two games. And 10-22, what the heck? Probably a blessing though considering the rest of our offensive output. We didn't deserve to win this game.
givehim6 writes:
After watching the game all I could say was, stupid,stupid,stupid. UT could have won this game if they wanted it! But I suppose Smith and Chism were to busy thinking about there future, and the rest of the team was thinking about the NCAA tournament. A suggeston, practice free throws, 3 point shooting, and learn to play as a team again. You did a good job by not giving up, but man suppose you answered the question could you handled success.
DrJCrown_theMagicMan writes:
DC all smack talk aside and stuff!
I had a question for you.
Where were you when we beat you? You are always around to rub it in but never to talk about your own teams performance unless you win.Can you not see thats why some of the good Vol fans on here get angry with you
huntined#565710 writes:
yep!! THAT ABOUT SUMS IT UP
NIT BOUND ENJOY IT MAN AND WITH THAT TEAM LIL -BILLY has you can look forward to it next year also
beachvol1 writes:
Pitiful performance!!!!!!!!
abnermc writes:
No tie-- head to head is tie BREAKER,UT wins it again
DrJCrown_theMagicMan writes:
Ok so you got what a mens basketball program right?
We have football,2 basketball programs,and are usually pretty good at every sport and we play in the toughest conference the SEC.
You play in Conference USA and we have beat you most of the time in Basketball the last few years.
Ok and your point is what exactly(you are better than UT? COME AGAIN?)
huntined#565710 writes:
Don't say that man GATORZZ will take our co-champions tropy away and I LIKE IT!!!
VolJunkie writes:
What's really funny is that itsme does not even know he is addressing an AL fan ... rammerjammer must not be an obvious enough user name. Well, it IS football.
Leave it to a memphis poster to come to a govolsextra article on UT basketball to talk football to an alabama fan ... that's funny!
Go Vols!
tnvolintheboro writes:
That means so much coming from you (a uf fan...or is that fu)
Colliervol writes:
Free throws and that's about all you have to say on this one. And we talked about finding that focus during the last three games. Well, they left it back at the apartment today.
JMP_Vols writes:
UF basketball doesn't even belong in the same conversation with the football program right now.
Not taking a shot here, just the honest truth - with the players Billy D's bringing in we won't be talking about Florida's basketball dominance for a long time.
Noah, Brewer, Green, etc aren't walking through that door.
JMP_Vols writes:
Not to mention a certain Florida fan on here trying to legitimize the NIT.
Have the standards been lowered that much in the basketball program?
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