Rocky Top Talking Points: an eyebrow-raising picture edition

OMG, that picture of Dane is awful!  I didn't read the KNS article, but decided to look at my own analysis of his stats since I've been awfully hard on the kid, with regard to his "productivity" (or there lack of).  Here's what I compliled on a "per game average" from the box scores against the 11 SEC opponents we've faced to date:
(Sad note, I made a beautiful table in Excel, but then realized that I can't copy and paste it into here.  You, the readers, may mourn at your loss.)

• FG; 1-5 (11-55 total)
  
• 3PT; <1-2 (6-22 total)
  
• FT; >1-2 (14-22 total)
  
• PTS; 3.8 (42 total)
  
• AST; 5.8 (64 total)
  
• STL; >1 (17 total)
  
• MINS; 31 (341 total)

Woah, did I read that right?!  Nearly 6 APG?!  That's over 50% more APG than PPG!  Yeah his shot attempts/makes is extremely low (as is his subsequent PPG) given the amount of playing time that he's been receiving, but he's still ma MAJOR contributor to the team in dishing the ball to others for the "better" shot as well as the "intangibles" such as leadership, hustle, guts, and overall game management.  To his defense, I think his shoulder is nowhere near 100%, regardless of what he says.  For example, in the UK game on Tuesday, I think he passed on about a half-dozen open looks at the basket, particularly when he was behind the arc.

No matter what the numbers and/or the critics say about his "productivity", Dane is our team's Captian.  He's our leader.  For 4-years (5 even?), the kid has demonstrates that he's full of heart, desire, and yes...even skills.  Now I'm an engineer by trade, so I live by numbers; but every now and then it's nice to have a reality check that numbers don't necesarilly mean everything.

So, to answer the questions, I'm on board with The Hulk...nope, doesn't matter and nahh, not worried a bit.

Just lookin over some pre-game notes against SC tomorrow.  Here's a few of the "highs" to note, with espeicially interesting ones bolded.

• Chris Lofton needs four 3-pointers to tie Vanderbilt's Scott Draud (288 from 1986-91) for fourth on the SEC career 3-pointers made list.
  
• Lofton has made 284 career shots behind the 3-point arc.
  
• Tennessee has trailed its opponent for just six minutes and 16 seconds in its last three games (120 minutes) played.
  
• UT's 238 3-pointers this season ranks as the fourth-most in school history.
  
• Three of UT's top five scorers are freshmen.
  
• Each of UT's four freshmen are averaging at least 17 minutes of action per game.
  
• Dane Bradshaw ranks second in the SEC in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.72), fourth in steals (1.89) and fifth in assists (4.92).
  
• The Vols are forcing 18.8 turnovers per game.
  
• Tennessee is 27-2 at Thompson-Boling Arena over the last two seasons.
  
• The Vols are 15-0 in non-conference home games under Bruce Pearl.
  
• 11 different Vols have hit a 3-pointer this season. Eight have made at least 10 3-pointers.
  
• The Vols have made at least one 3-pointer in 310 consecutive games.
  
• Under Bruce Pearl, UT is 33-2 when leading or tied with five minutes left in the game.
  
• UT is 26-3 when scoring 80 or more points under the direction of Bruce Pearl.
  
• Tennessee is the only Division I school ever to rank in the top five nationally in attendance for football, men's basketball and women's basketball in the same season. The Vols turned the trick for the third time in 2005-06.