Tennessee Men's Basketball
Tennessee’s biggest comeback in more than four years couldn’t have come at a better time.
“Enough is enough,’’ associate head coach Tony Jones had told the men’s basketball team repeatedly in the days leading up to Saturday’s game.
“It was our mantra,’’ said Jones, who coached in place of Bruce Pearl as Pearl was serving the third game of his eight-game SEC suspension. “And they exemplified a never-say-die attitude.’’
Tennessee scored a 67-64 win over Vanderbilt after trailing by 17 points with just over two minutes left in the first half before a season-high crowd of 21,198 at Thompson-Boling Arena and with ESPN’s College GameDay crew on hand.
Scotty Hopson led the Vols (11-6, 1-2 SEC) with 16 points while Tobias Harris scored 15, Cameron Tatum had 12 and Skylar McBee added 10.
Harris scored the eventual game-winning points on a basket with 1:05 remaining that put the Vols up 65-64 before padding the lead with a pair of free throws with 2.7 seconds left.
Brian Williams, who came off the bench to grab a game-high 12 rebounds, sealed UT’s victory by intercepting an inbounds pass after Commodores coach Kevin Stallings called timeout to set up a final play.
Williams flung the ball high in the air as the buzzer sounded, and a relieved Tennessee team that had lost six of its previous nine games enjoyed a modest on-court celebration.
“It had gotten pretty tense out there,’’ said Hopson, who after opening 1-of-8 shooting finished 8-of-20 with a team-high three assists, six rebounds and two steals. “There was definitely a do-or-die mentality that second half.’’
The Commodores (12-4, 1-2) went up 30-13 on a Brad Tinsley free throw at the 2:03 mark of the first half, and UT’s offense was all but given up for dead, shooting a season-low 20-percent.
Prior to Saturday, the most recent time UT came from 17 down to win a game was Dec. 23, 2006, when Chris Lofton hit a memorable 3-pointer over the outstretched arm of Kevin Durant in a 111-105 overtime classic against Texas.
While that was just another page in Lofton’s storybook All-American career, this season’s Vols had yet to pen a chapter involving a significant come-from-behind win.
Saturday’s rally started with a seemingly innocent 7-0 run to close the first half and cut the Vanderbilt lead to 30-20.
Photo by Adam Brimer // Buy this photo
Tennessee forward John Fields defends against Vanderbilt center Festus Ezeli during the second half at Thompson-Boling Arena Saturday, Jan. 15, 2011.
“I told the team it was an aberration shooting 20 percent in the first half,’’ Jones said. “I had a few choice words for them. They responded.’’
McBee provided a pivotal spark with just over 13 minutes left, getting a steal and hitting a 3-pointer that propelled the Vols to a 9-3 run.
McBee’s 3-pointer was the Vols’ first of the game after the team had collectively missed its first 11 shots beyond the arc.
Hopson, who scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half, closed the spurt with a jumper that made it 46-41 at the 11:39 mark.
“I hit a couple of shots and all the guys were making plays,’’ said McBee, who was fouled on another trey during the run and converted it into a four-point play. “You could just feel we were playing with energy, and the crowd was really getting into it.’’
Stallings could feel it, too, and he wisely called a timeout, hoping UT would cool off and the crowd would quiet down.
“They got us in transition and we had some breakdowns,’’ Stallings said. “We weren’t as good with our assignments in the second half as we could have been.’’
The Vols didn’t draw even until Hopson scored three consecutive baskets to tie the game at 56 with 5:22 left on a jumper just inside the 3-point arc.
Cameron Tatum buried a 3-pointer to put the Vols up 61-59 with 2:57 left to play, giving UT its first lead since the 11:47 mark of the first half.
Vanderbilt reclaimed the lead as John Jenkins scored three of his game-high 21 points on a 3-pointer that proved to be the Commodores’ final field goal of the game.
Jeffery Taylor (14 points) extended the lead on Vanderbilt’s next possession with a pair of free throws that made it 64-61 with 2:11 on the clock.
UT’s Melvin Goins drove back at the Commodores, converting a foul into a pair of free throws that pulled the Vols back within 64-63.
After making a defensive stop, Tatum drove the baseline and dished to Harris inside, and the freshman delivered the go-ahead basket.
“There was something extra for us to prove today,’’ said Harris, who with nine rebounds narrowly missed recording his fourth consecutive double-double. “This was probably the biggest win we’ve needed.’’
South Carolina upset Florida in Gainesville on Saturday, leaving UT one game back in the SEC East Division heading into Tuesday’s 7 p.m. game at Georgia.
The Bulldogs, ranked No. 24, are 8-0 at home this season.
“We’ve been an inconsistent basketball team all year,’’ said Jones, who carried on in the tradition of former UT coach Ray Mears and Pearl by donning an orange sports coat for Saturday’s rivalry game. “ We’ve got to improve on that.
“Hopefully, we can build on this going into Athens on Tuesday.’’
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Comments » 32
huntined#565710 writes:
Tell them TUE. is a must win too. Maybe that is what they need to hear. Ga. is a good team and will take a big effort on all the players to win..
murrayvol writes:
It's a mystery.
As bad a 1st half as I've seen in awhile. Then comes the 2nd half and.....voila.
BigVolinCarolina writes:
Gotta take one game at a time, BasketVols!
Today's "W" was a much better team effort, as reflected in the final score. Keep playing hard.
volatil writes:
TJ showing some "attitude" here...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGba2l...
1965Vol writes:
Great vid dude! Thanks! Awesome victory!
huntined#565710 writes:
Women trying to copy the men in the first half.
utjunkie writes:
Where is CantStandSaban & Midnitevol, they are always on here when UT has a loss.
memphis_vol_fan writes:
Glad to see that the team still has a spine in them. There gonna need it for next week with UGA and UCONN coming up.
UTByrd writes:
Need to hire Pat Summitt as cheerleader. It seems to work.
Maybe the players are more afraid of her than they are or TJ or BP.
Go VOLS!!!!!
Down_The_Field writes:
i love beating the peebody punks.
GBO!
eduardo writes:
Both my teams had big 2nd half comebacks!! wow!
I thought both were dead in the water!
1965Vol writes:
The Gatas went down too so our lil' lizard friends are also missing! Guess they're still on the road back from Tiddle-Town.
196SVol writes:
Yea, they lost, and they can lose again, and still be ahead of the Vols in the SEC East.
osbymartin#581730 writes:
actually if they lost again and the vols didn't they would be TIED 2-2..I know I know the tie-breaker head to head....only matters at the end of the season.
VOLFANIAM writes:
Great win Vols. On a recruiting note...I read on ESPN that Clemson pulled Marlin Lane's scholly because he took a visit to another school.
volsreign writes:
Anybody know what happened between Rece Davis and Derek Dooley before Game Day this morning? Rece made a remark about Derek not letting them do a mock run through the T at the opening of the show and then a few minutes later Rece said Derek wasn't very "warm and fuzzy" with them before the show. What was that all about?
TennVol01 writes:
Was it attitude ... or just a failure on Vandy's part to put the game away???
murrayvol writes:
Didn't hurt when they blew 2 layups and fouled McBee on a 3 to end the first half.
To play that badly and only be down 10 was heaven sent.
these_orange_colored_glasses writes:
i think "cantstandsaban"'s mom got tired of paying for his internet....
VolWoman writes:
Man, it's nice to see that smile on Brian Williams' face. You are good & don't forget it Brian!
lindatotenn writes:
I will be very happy when dickie v retires!!!
His voice is NOT a good announcers voice and he talks about EVERYTHING but the game. He talks about baseball, golf, vacations WHO CARES !!
Do your job which is to announce the game.
pammyvol1000 writes:
Skylar really jump started the game and Brian finished it. If Hopson would show up every game, we would win.
pammyvol1000 writes:
Agree!!! Keep it on basketball!
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Do the Dawgs a job in Athens.
Won't be easy.
Digger writes:
Does anyone know why they didn't call traveling on Vandy late in the game when that guy slide across the floor with the ball? I was at the game and everyone was confused.
HtownVol writes:
It is not too early to say that this season all comes down to Tuesday.
If the Vols beat UGA and move to 4-0 vs ranked opponents then it should be the confidence boost they need to go on a run in the SEC and hopefully get at least 10 wins. It will take no less than 20 wins to get a NCAA tourney bid. Our bog wins are cancelled out bu the garbage teams that beat us.
There is one common theme to this team winning (as with any team) when we move without the ball the Offense is so much better. In the 1st half yesterday the players looked pathetic just standing around. In the 2nd it was a different story. Everyone was moving without the ball and on Defense they were much more active. When UTs Defense gets stops it always picks up the Offense.
Tuesday if UT comes out and plays hard, setting screens and moving without the ball then UT can very well beat UGA. UGA has great athletes but so does UT. UT has a better roster (only when we play hard) and if they are ready to play hard for 40 minutes UT wins.
The hard part is motivating them to be CONSISTANT! It is hard to believe that Bruce Pearl can not motivate players for every game (I know about the suspension, but this is a attitude that needs to be set in practice).
GO VOLS!
HtownVol writes:
After the Music City Bowl and the calls that the basketball team has been getting I seriously think the NCAA may have a conspiracy against the Vols. I know how hard that would be to do but BP did not make friends in the NCAA comitee.
That was the worst call I have ever seen (no call) I have seen players fall and I wonder why no travel was called but that kid slid TEN FEET while holding the ball and the refs just watched.
I saw a lot of times yesterday where the refs just bit the whistle when a call should have been made.
I also saw a couple times UT made a driving layup where Vandy players hit the UT player very hard and no call was made and then Vandy gets to the line when a UT player barely touches a Vandy player.
I know UT benifited from some calls, but they can not be too obvious when the NCAA is attempting to keep UT from winning.
Of course, all of this may just be in my hear. And most likely is.
GO VOLS!
osbymartin#581730 writes:
YAWN! You can come up with all these different usernames but the same boring drivel.
osbymartin#581730 writes:
If you want to go that route about it...was it the fact that TN was missing layups and open shots and turning the ball over in the first half or it wouldn't have been that big of a lead to begin with. Honestly, those excuses go both ways.
oskie_score writes:
Congrats to Williams who played / rebounded possessed.
For those that questioned CBP's importance/significance to this team/program...given their recent performance's (no disrespect to CTJ) all doubts should now be removed.
This team reads like an EKG with heart palpitations, it is struggling w/ chemistry. The talent is there, what is in question is how that talent is used. AND Leadership? No one has stepped up and taken control of the team. Prior to the season tip-off it was thought to be Hopson, too inconsistent, and too many times MIA.
All is not lost if only they can hold it together (.500) until CBP's return.
Big "MO" will be critical going into the SEC Tourney.
taylorsvolfan writes:
There were some pretty sorry calls made and most by the same ref. He was pretty bad.
sheep writes:
Once again the sheep is right, let Skylar shoot the ball, and dont jerk him out when he misses and he will perform. I said that he couldnt look over his shoulder and expect to play well. I have watched him play a long time, and Tony Jones was right on the money when he said that he told Mcbee to shoot more. That is the Skylar I know and love. This team is beginning to gel, and we need a strong performance from the same group. Skylar needs to do that every game, and then we will have a "deep" team that is a serious contender. GBO
BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA Was right again says the Sheep.
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