The Tennessee Volunteers (21-12), fresh off a disappointing loss in the SEC Tournament Championship Game against Mississippi State and a disappointing seeding for the NCAA Tournament, head to Dayton, Ohio Friday to take on the Oklahoma State Cowboys (22-11). The Vols appear to face a downright rotten horrible scenario, playing an eight seed with four guards who can put up a lot of points from the perimeter on Friday and, if they happen to win, a Sunday-go-to-meeting with second overall No. 1-seed Pittsburgh.
Observations from the stats
The Cowboys rank 5th and 6th in the nation in three-point FGs per game (9.3) and scoring offense (81.1 points per game) respectively. They hit 45.7% of their shots from the field and 38.4% of their shots from beyond the arc. They're also ranked in the top 100 in free throw percentage and appear to take good care of the ball, committing only 12.4 turnovers per outing. Where the Vols have an advantage, it's a slight one, except with respect to rebounds, assists, and blocked shots, where they seem to have a fairly significant edge.
Cowboy players to watch
James Anderson appears to be Oklahoma State's biggest scoring threat, ranking 46th in the nation with an 18.6 PPG average, 99th nationally in three-point FGs per game (2.4), and 78th in FT% (83.1%).
Obi Muonelo was not listed as a starter for the last game the Cowboys played, but he hits as many three-pointers during games as does Anderson despite fewer attempts. Obi's ranked 36th in the nation, hitting 40.1% of his three-point attempts.
Byron Eaton and Terrel Harris are your thieves, Eaton gobbling up 2.2 steals per game and Harris pocketing 1.8 per game. Eaton also ranks 24th in the nation in assists with 5.5 per game.
Other Stuff
KenPom's prediction: Tennessee wins 81-80, with an even 50% chance of winning.
The line ups
 |
Ht.
|
Wt.
|
Yr.
|
PPG
|
RPG
|
APG
|
|
| C | Wayne Chism | 6-9 |
242 |
Jr. |
13.8
|
8.1 |
1.2 |
| F | Tyler Smith | 6-7 |
215 |
Jr. |
17.2 |
5.9 |
3.4 |
| G | J.P. Prince | 6-7 |
205 |
Jr. |
10.1 |
4.2 |
3.4 |
| G | Scotty Hopson | 6-7 |
185 |
Fr. |
9.2 |
2.8 |
1.4 |
| G | Bobby Maze | 6-2 |
185 |
Jr. |
8.3 |
2.5 |
3.2 |
 |
Ht.
|
Wt.
|
Yr.
|
PPG
|
RPG
|
APG
|
|
| F | Marshall Moses | 6-6 |
235 |
So. |
6.6 |
5.9 |
.3 |
| G | Byron Eaton | 5-11 |
210 |
Sr. |
14.1 |
3.8 |
5.5 |
| G | Terrel Harris | 6-5 |
200 |
Sr. |
13.8
|
4.8 |
1.9 |
| G | Keiton Page | 5-10 |
168 |
Fr. |
8.9 |
1.2 |
1.3 |
| G | James Anderson | 6-6 |
205 |
So. |
18.6 |
5.8 |
1.4 |
The stats
KEY STATS COMPARISON |
|
|
||
| Category | Rank |
Actual |
Rank |
Actual |
| Scoring Offense | 19 |
78.5 |
6 |
81.1 |
| Scoring Defense | 279 |
72.4 |
305 |
74.2 |
| Scoring Margin | 63 |
6.1 |
54 |
6.9 |
| Field-Goal Percentage | 83 |
45.5 |
74 |
45.7 |
| Field-Goal Percentage Defense | 204 |
44.0 |
224 |
44.3 |
| Three-Point Field Goals Per Game | 132 |
6.6 |
5 |
9.3 |
| Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage | 252 |
31.4 |
23 |
38.4 |
| Three Pt FG Defense | 139 |
33.7 |
177 |
34.3 |
| Free-Throw Percentage | 222 |
67.4 |
25 |
74.3 |
| Rebound Margin | 43 |
4.6 |
229 |
-1.1 |
| Assists Per Game | 17 |
16.3 |
198 |
12.6 |
| Assist Turnover Ratio | 29 |
1.22 |
116 |
1.01 |
| Blocked Shots Per Game | 97 |
3.7 |
251 |
2.5 |
| Steals Per Game | 156 |
6.7 |
70 |
7.7 |
| Turnovers Per Game | 133 |
13.4 |
48 |
12.4 |
| Turnover Margin | 69 |
1.8 |
35 |
2.8 |
| Personal Fouls Per Game | 224 |
19.1 |
316 |
21.3 |
| PLAYERS TO WATCH | |
|
||||
| Category | Player | Rank | Actual | Player | Rank | Actual |
| Points PG | Tyler Smith |
95
|
17.2
|
James Anderson |
46
|
18.6
|
| FG% | ||||||
| 3-Point FG PG | Obi Muonelo James Anderson |
88
99 |
2.5
2.4 |
|||
| 3-Point FG% | Obi Muonelo | 36
|
40.1
|
|||
| FT % | James Anderson |
78
|
83.1
|
|||
| Rebounds PG | Wayne Chism |
76
|
8.1
|
|||
| Assists PG | Byron Eaton | 24
|
5.5
|
|||
| Blocks PG | ||||||
| Steals PG | Byron Eaton Terrel Harris |
29
85 |
2.2
1.8 |
|||
| Assist-TO Ratio |
Bobby Maze | 77
|
1.93
|
|||