Tennessee 86 Charleston 69 - Vols pull away late
by Will on Nov 27, 2009 9:47 PM EST
in Tennessee Volunteer Basketball
6 comments
The return of Scotty Hopson and an 8-8 night at the free throw line from Tyler Smith were tempered by hot three point shooting from Charleston...for about 33 minutes. Tennessee repeatedly built leads of 8-12 points only to see Charleston work them back down within 3-5. But sparked by a Skylar McBee three, the Vols went on a 15-2 run that finally put the Cougars to bed, as UT picked up their fifth win of the season 86-69.
A decent post-Thanksgiving crowd saw Scotty Hopson finish with 21 points, 7 of 10 from the field and 3 for 3 from beyond the arc, a return to the form he enjoyed in the first three games of the season and his fourth 20+ point outburst of the year. Tyler Smith got it done at the line, and he and Brian Williams helped spell Wayne Chism, who again was on the receiving end of two quick fouls and later picked up a third, getting only five minutes in the first half and only thirteen for the game. Williams and Chism both had 11 points, and BWill also had 7 rebounds in 22 minutes.
Charleston went 11 of 25 (44%) from beyond the arc and got great play from their starters, but only eight points off the bench. By comparison, the Vols got 43 points off the bench in a continually impressive display of depth, and dominated the Cougars inside: +14 in rebounds, + 28 in points in the paint.
The Vols are 5-1 on the year and return to action Wednesday night, hosting an ETSU team that beat Charleston earlier this year, and is currently leading at Arkansas. The Vols will then get a nine day break during final exams before playing MTSU in Nashville on December 11.
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Florida beats #2 Michigan State 77-74
Big, big win for the SEC on a day that saw Richmond win at Mississippi State, Arizona State beat LSU by 19, ETSU beat Arkansas and Florida State beat Alabama. Maybe this’ll be a three-team SEC East race after all.
by Will on Nov 27, 2009 10:08 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Boy, I wish we could redo that Purdue game now.
by Hooper on Nov 28, 2009 12:52 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Agreed - we had so many chances to win that game and gave it away
Remember the 7 point swing by Renaldo?
We were up 27-23. He played lousy D and fouled Moore who made 2 FT’s. He bricked a 3 from the wing on poor shot selection on the next possession. Purdue missed; Goins missed and then Renaldo fouled Hummel who made both FT’s. Renaldo turned the ball over again. Hummel made a 3. UT down 27-30. All that took less than 1 min in the first half, but I thought it was key.
Don’t get me wrong – everyone had the opportunity to win the game and failed to make a play – Scotty, Bobby, Chism, even Tyler.
I do not understand why this team fails to exploit an advantage. We had Tyler and Chism doing whatever they wanted inside – but we failed to pound that advantage and repeat it until they stop us.
Until we figure that out, we will be on the outside of the Top 10 looking in. We have the talent to be there, but we have to figure out how to do the little things to get there.
And (as I gain perspective) isn’t that completely amazing for a lifelong UT basketball fan to say???
by memphispete on Nov 28, 2009 9:15 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Too early too ask?
Is it too early to wonder if Hopson only shows up against “cupcakes”? He was invisible against DePaul and Purdue, and shows up against another midlevel team (although CoC has a history of good basketball).
by CFB Authority on Nov 28, 2009 1:42 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
There were times last year
where he played really well against good teams – Mississippi State and Florida in particular. But yeah, I’m not going to fully buy in to Hopson’s maturation until I see it against USC, Memphis and/or Kansas. And hopefully it shows up somewhere in there and this isn’t still a question going into SEC play.
by Will on Nov 28, 2009 2:58 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
He has difficulty against physical teams
Guys who push him around still intimidate him. He doesn’t realize how good he is.
Kind of like how Brian WIlliams doesn’t realize that he could rip down the rim and posterize people because he’s that big and he settles for 5 ft fade aways and finger rolls because he’s still that soft.
The defense isn’t completely there but it is very much improved… (when JP isn’t in there)
by memphispete on Nov 29, 2009 6:15 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
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