Entering the backend of three-game in six-day stretch, Tennessee men’s basketball is in the midst of the proverbial “grind,” coach Cuonzo Martin said Monday at his weekly media luncheon at Thompson-Boling Arena.
At 10-8 overall and 2-4 in SEC play, Tennessee sits in a seven-way tie for seventh place in the league. Vanderbilt (8-10, 2-4), another team locked in that logjam, comes to Thompson-Boling Arena on Tuesday night (TV: ESPNU, 7 p.m.)
“They shoot a lot of 3s, shoot them well, and space you out to dribble penetrate and find their shooters, especially when they go small,” Martin said. “It’s a good test for our guys.”
Having entered the weekend with five losses in six games, the Vols picked up a much-needed 54-53 win over Alabama on Saturday. Jarnell Stokes powered UT with 15 points and 18 rebounds.
“He had eight offensive rebounds, keeping that ball alive, that was a credit to his hard work,” Martin said, later adding, “He’s getting better every day at making quick moves I think in this particular game, he gathered himself because (Alabama) had a shot blocker …and he was aggressive in attacking the rim.”
Martin confirmed that freshman Armani Moore will remain in the starting lineup for Tuesday’s game. Moore made his first career start on Saturday, scoring four points and grabbing seven rebounds in 29 minutes.
More coming online and in Tuesday’s News Sentinel.
Brendan F. Quinn covers Tennessee men's basketball. Follow him at Twitter.com/BFQuinn
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Cordarrelle Patterson drafted by the…
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Comments » 20
voloffaith writes:
BFQ is that you.........On topic, this whole season has become a grind when lost Maymon to rs for next year. Upside youngins getting to play and get measuring stick of how they size up against their SEC brethren.
BrassMonkey writes:
That point in the program where a 1 game win streak = A grind
RememberWhen writes:
Uh gee Coach...if we accept this excuse for these 3 games in a short span, what would you have us believe for the rest of the miserable performances? If I'm not mistaken the Ole Miss game was at the BEGINNING of your so-called "grind." Yet, you managed to give up 26 second half points to a guy that had already burnt your butt once this year! In any event, I would like to thank you for managing to return this program to it's historical irrelevence in just one and a half short seasons!
voloffaith writes:
Sorry BM, but grind was referencing 3 games in six days...ok?
voloffaith writes:
.............................
Ironcity writes:
Its grind to watch these guys play. The over under for points in the first half is always 20. I grind my teeth waiting for that first basket.
Can't wait until we play UGA. he final score should be another 38-37 game.
murrayvol writes:
I hate grinds.
mocsandvolsfan writes:
I know what! Why don't the defense just move out of the way on both sides and see who can run down and score the fastest.
GOLLY! Quit complaining about low scores. If you have to whine then whine about the less scores. Like when we don't score more than them at the end. That's a legitimate whine.
Seriously we need to get some issues over with. take some players and sit them and the problems end. Think next game...not the past 17. They're gone and ain't no gettin' 'em back!
New Beginnings. I like it!
Ironcity writes:
Moc its not that we play that great of defense. UA shot over 50% in the first half against us and had 25pts. We don't try to score we just run clock with very little purpose and its boring. I am all good when we win playing like that but right now we don't win very often.
As we continue to not make teams pay to press we will continue to see a steady dose of presses and continue to lament all the close losses.
manoffewwords writes:
BBB
voloffaith writes:
That ,for a man of few ,is not a word. However, I believe I was able to decipher the code....boring basketball....
Witch_Doctors writes:
Witch Doctor say Bruce ruined his career too bad and he is never coming back to the SEC. Witch Doctor say GTFU.(Witch Doctor say first is Grow..lol)
Bones never lie.
w4tey#282182 writes:
Sounds like Dan Skipper just put the grind to UT as well.
smokeygrowl writes:
amen
miatatom writes:
GO ARMANI!!!!!!!!!!!
Basketvol writes:
Who's making excuses? Who's to say they won't win 2 out of the 3 and turn the season around? They managed to shut down that punk from Ole Miss in the first half. He burned a lot of teams this year and ran his mouth the whole time.
mocsandvolsfan writes:
You're obviously NOT UT fan. Beating Vandy and Alabama is ALWAYS something to crow about.
Who knows what will happen in March. Maybe and SEC run and then a few upsets in the NCAAs. ya never know.
wilk58 writes:
That is what I call a glass half full guy. What happened in the 2nd half? By the way I am a Vol fan.
Basketvol writes:
As I said, TN got burned in the second half by the SEC's leading scorer. No headlines there. Yes, I am a glass half full guy. Life is better this way. Go Vols!
asmith writes:
where do you get the weed that you are smoking. must be some good stuff.
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