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Through the T is your place to catch up on the latest happenings around Tennessee football, basketball and recruiting.
Jeremy Banks back at linebacker
Stop me if you’ve heard this before — Tennessee’s freshman running back Jeremy Banks has changed positions. It’s the second time this season he’s swapped sides. I think Pruitt had every intention of keeping Banks at linebacker, but an injury to Ty Chandler forced him to put the Banks experiment on hold.
For what it’s worth, Pruitt mentioned that Banks was dealing with an ankle injury this week. Might we see him against Vanderbilt?
Also...
— David Ubben (@davidubben) November 21, 2018
Freshman Jeremy Banks was working exclusively with the first-team defense at ILB during the open period.
I’d consider that both an endorsement of him making a full-time move and the health of the RB group.
Lamonte Turner is still Lamonte Turner
Tennessee’s sixth man has knack for hitting big shots and that’s exactly what he did in his first game back last night. Turner hit back to back shots to fend off a Louisville run in the middle of the second half. He then finished the Cardinals off with a dagger three with just six minutes remaining.
247 Sports has the quotes from Turner, who was roasted by Rick Barnes for air-balling his first free throw attempt.
“Lamonte has spent the last three or four weeks working on his free throws, and you saw how that paid off today,” Barnes said, drawing a laugh. “He needed about a 5 mile per hour wind behind him to get that ball to the rim.”
Tennessee to face No. 2 Kansas for NIT Tip-Off title on Friday
Following Tennessee’s win against Louisville, Kansas was able to erase a first half deficit to come back and beat Marquette. It was a game that reminded me of Tennessee’s matchup against Villanova in the Bahamas last year.
The Vols now have two likely top five matchups on the early season schedule. Not only will they get Kansas on Friday night, but they’ll get Gonzaga in early December.
Friday’s game sets up an old Big 12 coaching matchup. Bill Self and Rick Barnes know each other well, dating back to Barnes’ time at Texas. Self told the media last night that Tennessee has a superstar and a bunch of “strong cats” who are interchangeable.
(5) Tennessee and (2) Kansas will play on ESPN2 Friday night at 9 p.m. eastern.
Happy Thanksgiving!