Tennessee basketball’s opening exhibition contest against an improved Xavier squad gave Head Coach Rick Barnes a lot that he needs to address before the season starts. Tennessee’s newcomer-laden team came up short in the matchup and lost 86-70. The main areas for improvement are reducing defensive breakdowns, rebounding the ball better, and being able to knock down three-point shots. The Vols will look to build on VCU transfer Terrence Hill Jr‘s. 22-point game as a stepping stone heading into this season. Xavier’s explosive offense was on display as they scored 59 points in the second half. This exposed Tennessee a lot.
Tennessee’s Defense and Rebounding
If Tennessee has any hope of having a successful season in the SEC, they must clean up their defense and rebounding. This was demonstrated by a second-half collapse where they gave up 59 points. Xavier controlled the boards the whole game, winning the rebounding battle 45-31. Barnes was vocal after the loss, emphasizing that this is unacceptable for a team with this level of talent.
One of the main underlying issues is that the guards did not do an effective job of rebounding the ball. Every player out on the floor needs to be able to rebound the ball regardless of size. Tennessee made a crucial mistake by leaving the paint open. This allowed Xavier to find open spaces and convert. This led to more second-chance opportunities that Tennessee could not afford.
In order to live up to their championship standards, Tennessee’s guards need to commit to finding a body and boxing out to get more rebounds and limit their opponents’ possessions. The guards and the rest of the team must be more physical than the other team to have this success.
Tennessee’s Cold Stretch From 3
The Volunteer offense looked to be in complete disarray in this contest. Their shooting was extremely lackluster as they finished the game a miserly 4-for-26 from deep. The difference in shooting between teams was even more drastic after halftime. During this stretch, the Vols connected on just 1-of-12 attempts from three.
On the other hand, Xavier looked unconscious from beyond the arc in the second period, converting on 8-of-14. Xavier’s shooting gave them the upper hand in this matchup. The shooting discrepancy made it easier for Xavier to expose Tennessee and run away with the game more quickly. Tennessee’s failure to match that shooting or to cause any disruption of their rhythm on defense made this a less competitive game. Outside shooting certainly will be at the top of the list for the Vols to improve.
Terrence Hill Jr. Gives Hope for Tennessee Basketball
One of the very few positives for Tennessee basketball came from Hill, who looked stellar. Hill came off the bench, where he dropped 22 points on 9-for-17 from the field, and three assists in 32 minutes. The rest of this team struggled to score the ball in this exhibition. Hill’s ability to be an aggressive scorer and a shot creator kept the Vols hanging around longer before Xavier pulled away.
Wake Forest Transfer, and possible SEC MVP candidate Juke Harris showed glimpses of being a reliable player for Tennessee. In this contest, Harris had 15 points on a sub-average shooting night. However, there is a lot to build on from his performance. The new pair of transfers combined for 37 points, showing their patience and resilience as the rest of the team was trying to find ways to impact the game. Even though the outcome was not the desired one Tennessee hoped for, the performances from Hill and Harris give Tennessee basketball hope and possible players for them to build around and run their offense through.
The Last Word
This exhibition loss would not be looked at as a failure or any reason to panic for Tennessee. Championship-caliber teams like Tennessee should not be playing their best brand of basketball in October. This is completely normal, as they have many new pieces, and they are still gelling together and learning each other’s play styles.
With that being said, Barnes and his staff should not diminish the lack of defense and rebounding that resulted in this exhibition. They need to tighten and sharpen those areas to become a more effective, consistent team when they are unable to make shots. With the season right around the corner, Barnes has a clear blueprint for what his team needs to improve on, while Hill’s scoring gives the Vols a positive to build off of.
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