There have been a number of concerns expressed in the preseason about whether or not the 2008-09 Tennessee Basketball Volunteers could match the scoring output, particularly from the perimeter, with the loss of Chris Lofton (above) and JaJuan Smith. Both were two of the team’s top scorers from a year ago.
At least for now, those fears can be put to rest.
The No. 14 Volunteers made 11 of 29 three pointers and set a school record for assists as they coasted to a 114-75 blowout of Chattanooga.
Tennessee had six players scoring in double figures, led by Tyler Smith’s 21 points. Junior college transfer Bobby Maze added a double-double with 12 points and 10 assists.
"Our pressure was disruptive, and we obviously shot the ball tremendously well with 32 assists on 43 baskets," Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl said.
Tennessee’s pressure defense forced overwhelmed Chattanooga into committing 24 turnovers.
"We thought we were ready, but we just didn't bring it. Our team has a lot of work to do, and it showed tonight. We're not ready yet,” Mocs senior forward Nicchaeus Doaks said.
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Chattanooga is one the preseason favorites to win the Southern Conference. The Mocs haven’t been to the big dance since their improbable run to the Sweet 16 in 1997.
The Volunteers were physical, dominating the game almost from the beginning. Their tremendous depth was a cause for concern for Chattanooga going into the game, and indeed Tennessee had ten players logging double-digit minutes.
Considering they were playing against one of the best out of the Southern Conference, this win gives the Big Orange faithful something encouraging as football season winds down.
Tennessee also extended their home winning streak to 33 games, tying the previous school record from back in 1968.
The Volunteers opened the game slowly.
The Mocs jumped out to an early 8-7 lead almost four minutes in, before Tennessee turned up the pressure with a 12-0 run over the next minute and a half, and never looked back as they built a 60-37 halftime lead.
One of the keys to winning had to do with establishing a presence in the post, thereby limiting UTC’s second chance opportunities. The Volunteers had 29 defensive rebounds against just seven offensive rebounds for the Mocs.
Last season at Chattanooga, the Mocs had 17 offensive rebounds, while Tennessee grabbed 15 on the defensive end.
Today though the Volunteers got solid defensive play on the interior from Brian Williams and Wayne Chism, who also had a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds.
“With the exception of Doaks, they had a hard time scoring on the inside,” Pearl said, adding, “This basketball team could’ve pushed around physically, and they didn’t.”
The Big Orange will continue their tour of Tennessee with games this week against UT-Martin on Tuesday and at Middle Tennessee on Friday night.
Granted, it is just one game, but Tennessee looked good enough to justify the lofty expectations of repeating as SEC Champions. They have away dates with Temple and Kansas, and welcome Gonzaga and Memphis to Thompson-Boling Arena before starting their SEC slate.
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about 1 month ago
I picked Tennessee to win the conference in my SEC preview I wrote not too long ago so its nice to see the Volunteers continue to stay strong in the backcourt after the departures of the Smiths and Lofton. How did Scotty Hopson look in the first game? I've read a lot about him, looking forward to the first time Tennessee is on national TV.
about 1 month ago
I think he had 17 points.
Bobby Maze was the most impressive newcomer with a double double. He looked more like a true point guard than Ramar Smith, as he looked to pass first. He was the player of the game. They have a good shot at the SEC, though I think it might be a down year. Only Florida and Tennessee are ranked to open up.
Thanks for the comments. I'll let you know when I have something new.
about 1 month ago
Hopson played great. He had 17 points in 19 minutes, was 3-6 from behind the arc, and had a tomahawk slam that made SportsCenter's Top 10.
I'm so glad basketball season is finally here. The football team has been unbearable to watch. I don't see Tennessee being able to dominate any of their SEC opponents like they did with Chattanooga though. The Vols' lack of depth at point guard is going to be exposed by more athletic teams. Florida and Kentucky are serious contenders for the SEC East title.
The loss of Daniel West was huge. If Prince is forced to play significant minutes at the point, this team will struggle. Maze's recent play is definitely encouraging, but he can't be on the floor for 40 minutes every game.
from about 1 month ago
I think that having a legit point guard is the most important thing that a college team can have. That being said, I think that Bobby Maze is good enough to make the point position not a major reason for concern. J.P. may play the point some but he will never have to play "significant" minutes at the point. Between he and Tabb I think that they can suffice enough to give Maze a rest when needed. If they can just get the ball past half-court without turning it over we should be fine. We have enough talent to manage without a true point in the half-court sets.
about 1 month ago
I don't think Maze can give us 40 minutes a night, but if he stays out of foul trouble, he can give about 28-30. I agree about Prince. There is just something about him that I don't like.
I thought they looked really good!
Thanks for the comment.
from about 1 month ago
I think that you would like J.P. a lot better if you had only seen him in his natural position, aka not the point. As I said in my preview article, J.P. was only a point guard in high school because he was the best player on the team and was good enough at that level to do so. J.P. is an incredible athlete and player and I think that Vols fans have just gotten a bad first impression.
Aside from that storyline I was at the game on the front row of the student section, you know, living the dream. Guys we are good, I would definitely go as far as to say that we are very, very good. However wait until we are down 10 points on the road at Florida or Kentucky. Let's see how ours guys like Scotty Hopson respond then. That's when you'll really know how far this team can go. I think that this is a team that honestly and realistically CAN compete for a national championship. The chemistry already looks a lot further along than I expected it to be right now so that's a major plus and essential step to getting there but there is still a lot of basketball to play.
from about 1 month ago
Based on Kentucky's performance on Friday night, we may not be down on the road there. I agree about Prince. I think I dislike him because of the way that he tended to try to shoot us out of games. I just think he was careless from the perimeter. With guys like Lofton and J. Smith shooting like they did, it's easy to get drawn into that mentality, and I don't think Prince is that good a shooter.
I appreciate your input, and thanks for the comment.
about 1 month ago
Nice article, I don't think this is anything to be too excited for yet. Tennessee will have a solid team this year but I'm not sure how well they can compare to even last year's squad, which was still a step below the elite college bball teams. And saying Chattanooga is one of the preseason favorites to win the Southern Conference is very misleading because I think everyone agrees that Davidson should win the conference.
from about 1 month ago
When I said they were one of the favorites, I meant that they were picked to win the SoCon North. I can't wait to see Stephen Curry in person on January 28 in Chattanooga.
Yes, they look like they might be a step down, but like Pearl said, this year's squad is more physical inside, so who knows?
Thanks for the comment.
about 1 month ago
I saw this game in person and it was impressive, even if it was against UTC. Our backcourt looked very strong for thier first DI basketball game. Hopson and Tatum are very athletic and looked good from the perimeter as well. This team is only going to get better and I can't wait to see them bring it together going into SEC play. This team may be a step down, but if they play well together then they could still go very far. It's not always the best team that wins it all, but the team that is playing the best.
about 1 month ago
The thing is, I think the SEC is going to be down this year. Vanderbilt doesn't look as good, and Kentucky doesn't seem to have what it takes after one game. Those are the kinds of games teams should be winning, and Kentucky just isn't at that level.
I'm excited about the way Tennessee looked on Saturday. The key to this team being successful is how well they can shoot the ball from outside. They seemed to lean on that a little too much last season.
Thanks for the comment!
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