TAMPA, Fla. — Tennessee drew a bye in the first round of the SEC basketball tournament Thursday, but you couldn’t tell it by Vanderbilt.
The Commodores looked almost as bad against Alabama as they did in two regular-season losses against UT. And the same shortcomings were just as evident.
Alabama was too quick and athletic for the Commodores, who trailed by as many as 16 points in an 82-75 defeat in the first-round tournament game at the St. Pete Times Forum. The Tide also succeeded in thwarting Vanderbilt center A.J. Ogilvy and guard Jermaine Beal. Sound familiar?
Ogilvy, the Commodores’ leading scorer, managed only eight points, with four of those coming in the last minute. Beal was just 2-for-11 from the field.
UT shut down Ogilvy and Beal as well in 69-50 and 76-63 regular-season victories. So you couldn’t have blamed the Vols for wanting a third shot at their in-state rivals.
Instead, they will get one of the conference’s hottest teams and a much tougher match-up. You only have to rewind the tape to last Sunday for evidence. The Tide upset the Vols 70-67 on a 30-foot basket by guard Anthony Brock.
No such dramatics were needed against Vanderbilt. Alonzo Gee made nine of 12 field-goal tries and scored a game-high 25 points, and guard Mikhail Torrance scored 20 as the Tide won for the fifth time in six games.
“Alabama was ranked No. 1 in the West in preseason for a reason,” said UT coach Bruce Pearl, who watched Thursday’s game alongside assistant coach Jason Shay at press row.
The Tide’s failure to live up to those preseason expectations cost Mark Gottfried his job. After a difficult transitional period, the Tide began playing up to its potential the last few weeks of the season.
Alabama’s recent surge includes the last-second victory over UT and a double-overtime victory over Mississippi State. It also includes 21-point victories over Arkansas and Ole Miss.
“We’ve got a bunch of really good basketball players on our team,” Tide coach Philip Pearson said. “Our guys have hung in there. They’ve been receptive to any changes we’ve made along the way.”
Pearson has stressed getting the ball inside, and that strategy worked spectacularly in the first six minutes of the second half when Alabama improved its six-point halftime lead to 16. Eight of its first 12 second-half points came on dunks.
“We were just outplayed,” Vanderbilt coach Kevin Stallings said. “They were better on the boards, better on defense. They beat us in every way.
“We did not play well. But it had a lot to do with them.”
It had a lot to do with Torrance in particular. He has figured prominently in Alabama’s turnaround, averaging 13.6 points in the last five games.
“I’m getting more comfortable,” Torrance said. “I’ve been watching more film and critiquing myself. And Coach Pearson has been drawing up more plays for me.”
Neither Torrance (3-for-8) nor Gee (4-for-17) shot well against the Vols. Duplicating that defense will be UT’s challenge this evening.
“Tyler (Smith) and J.P. (Prince) did a good job on Gee,” Pearl said. “You can’t cover him with just one man.”
Too often, Vanderbilt didn’t cover Gee at all. Six of his nine field goals came on layups or dunks, a couple of which were set up by Torrance’s passes.
Gee’s senior status provides the Tide with more incentive in the tournament.
“We’re not ready for him to go home,” Torrance said with a smile.
Sports editor John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knoxnews.com.
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Comments » 35
Southpaw_Vol writes:
we hope not...
but history says otherwise.
Orangeblood13 writes:
thank you Mr Adams, you jackarse
again you sour us with your pour skills as a writer.
anything to take a shot at UT and actualy give them positive press
TooLegit2Quit writes:
Are you honestly hyping up this garbage Alabama team, enough with the excuses. We laid an egg against them, hopefully it won't happen again. We are much better then this team....
Vol1995 writes:
Is he a waiter or a writer?
alfrizzle097 writes:
Alabama is a playing decently riht now and they have mementum. The Vols haven't built any sustained momentu all year. This is a game that the Vols should win. I'm not putting any money on it though....
WeLoveTennesseeVols writes:
John is right, it is and will be a super hard game for us to win. They are playing hard, having fun, with nothing to lose, and we are playing on eggshells, trying to for our weaknesses to show. We are again afraid of losing. Will we play up to our potential? Do we even know what it is? I thought we played them very well inKnoxville, but just didn't make enough inside shots. Will we have that effort again? I don't know. I just hope we forget about ourselves and just go out there and play basketball and at least keep the darn game close and keep the pressure on them. If we win this game, I know we will win the rest of them! When I try, you guys know, I have some of the bestest comments around! Just say it, it's ok. Just don't call me John Adams!
rockytop47 writes:
Hey where is gatorzzz, hmmmm a losing program, must be in his hole planning his next lie about UT. Or dating his sister.
RockyTopVolFan writes:
John Adams, our Tennessee Vols will beat Alabama!
Alabama used up a season of good luck in defeating the VOLS in that last second hail mary shot that bounced in as the game clock sounded. That is not likely to happen again soon.
Go VOLS!
Madkels writes:
Free throws, free throws, free throws. Hit 'em and win. Miss 'em and loose. It's what cost us Sundays loss.
If Bama wins, then Pearson should get the HC job. He has "turned the tide" at the end of the season.
We should win this game, but if we come in tentative and Bama plays like they are capable of, it could be a repeat of Sunday. I hope Bruce spent some time with these kids on the stripe this week.
Go Vols!
BIGEJ writes:
Her KNS shift ended @ midnight; she could come in on first or second today or split the shift. For alot of their staff KNS flexes shifts as to better accomodate their workers; don't worry, she (ZZ),DC Dyan/Mike_de_Conn, one in the same,and the bammer will blog when they get to the KNS bldg, second floor.
Tiger_Jokes writes:
Payback's a b!tch ... this time we convert our inside shots, free throws will be irrelevant. UT should be sky-high for this game ...
1982_35_28 writes:
My thoughts exactly John Adams. Alabama now looks like the toughest out in the tournament. Big, physical, quick and accurate. They look and play alot like Tennessee but are shooting a better percentage. A loss to Alabama would not shock me and would not be as big of an upset that alot of UT fans think.
ect1983 writes:
Perfect.....an idiot who cant spell "poor' criticizing the best sportswriter in the state....are you in 3rd or 4th grade ,Orange?
bud0323 writes:
There's no doubt in my mind that Tennessee should win. But will they win is the question. I think they will win we know what they'll throw at us defensively and really we lost that because not only could we not shoot well but we were horrific from the free throw line. Go Vols.
BigOrangeJeff writes:
Maybe you can call Mr. Peabody and get in the way back machine, so you can publish this piece on Saturday - when it would have actually been insightful.
As usual, you have your elbow firmly on the pulse of the sports world.
golfballs03 writes:
Tennessee is an 8 seed. To get a 6 and have a legitimate shot of making the Sweet 16 they have to win the SEC Tournament. Bruce better get them ready to compete.
shoalcreekvol writes:
Well JA finally got to use that Get-Em-Bama-Rah-Rah article he has had written and saved to his desktop for some time...
volroadwarrior writes:
You are correct about the free throws. All the bammers need to do is foul our big guys under the basket and they win.
RollTideJoe writes:
The Tide basketball team can play with anybody in the league. Our problem is complacency. We play hard, get ahead of teams, then get complacent with that lead and let-up. Before you know it, we're in a barnburner. This team never learned how to put someone away, so barring a big surprise, look for it to go to the wire and it will be anyone's game. As I've watched your team, it strikes me much the same. They appear to be quite evenly matched and the team that gets some killer instinct should win it.
TotalPackage1 writes:
"If you're not 1st, you're last". Ricky Bobby
Mr_Brownstone writes:
As Costanza on Seinfeld says, "This man -- is a genius!"
golfballs03 writes:
I just wish Tennessee would play consistently to their potential. If they did, we would be in another class from the rest of the SEC and I wouldn't have to worry about a game vs. Alabama.
Tiger_Jokes writes:
Totally agree with you about the importance of free throws, especially post-season. My point (that I did not make very well) is that if they do a better job converting the numerous inside shots they will get, FTs will not matter since we will be so far ahead.
Tiger_Jokes writes:
A tactic that will become known in the post-season as the "maul-a-vol" ...
Orangeblood13 writes:
you are correct sir, thank you for proof reading my spelling. I have math homework tomorrow, think you can help me with that to?
4th grade is tuff you know being an idiot and all
And this guy as a sports writer does nothing positive for Tenn sports, we all see that, the ones that follow sports unlike dipshats like you who post on other people's posts
crappieking writes:
This team is hard to figure out. I do beleive they have under achieved this year. The coaches and players. They can look like world beaters (SC,FLA,GT at Vandy)then look terrible (ole miss,Ala,KY). I, as many of you, have watched them for years, and I never have seen a team so inconsistent. We used to be either bad or good (last year) all of the time. Same goes for the free throws. As far as the crowd goes, as a whole, it is pretty lame. I scream my lungs out not caring what some fat rich guy thinks. He can go bl_w himself. Our BB crowd compared to other SEC schools does not give us a great home court advantage. I wish it were different. I will agree with most of you, that when the product on the court is lazy, the crowd is lazy. This is a direct reflection on the coaching. BP has not had his best year coaching. It doesn't seem the players get it and we have no true leader on our team. Very frustrating.
RoyaltyVol#280778 writes:
The article is correct, Tide looks Like Trouble! They are always in trouble! But they will get a good Tennessee butt whopin tonight!
murrayvol writes:
Pretty accurate take.
For whatever reason your guys seem to be playing hard for Pearson. We'll soon know.
wizardofvolz writes:
A-Another
D-Dumb
A-As#
M-Meaningless
S-Story
Look it up under the dictionary. When Tenn. beats your boys why not go back to Tuscy with them!!!
FulmerWasSabanated987 writes:
We own you guys in basketball. It is what it is. You guys have a hard time defending the dribble and we drive like crazy. We beat you for the second time in less than a week.
trl_x writes:
This will be a tough game for the Vols tonight. Alabama is an athletic team and that zone will be trouble. UT didn’t play well last time but neither did Bama.
FulmerWasSabanated987 writes:
Thank you. First one to realize that. Gee was non exsistent and we went cold for like 5 mins at the end of game. Neither played a good game...
jhayes0926#638474 writes:
UT can beat the zone, but JP and Maze will have to be more aggressive in their dribble drive. They will have to penetrate more than they have in the last few games, and they will have to dish off a lot like they did in the S.C. game.
It's there to win if we play right. Tyler will also have to have a 50% shooting night and we have to hit FT's. (All that is covering a lot of ground isn't it! A lot of if's).
iowavol writes:
If this article isn't enough to prove that John Adams has nothing but contempt for the Vols, let's see what he says now. Alabama was nothing tonight against the vols. FU Adams.
kennedymj1#206091 writes:
How about those Vols that were not supposed to win. Not a positive article John?????
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