Jahmai Mashack Steps Into Bigger Role With Tennessee's Defense Next Season

The identity of Tennessee Volunteers basketball with Rick Barnes has always been defense. Jahmai Mashack will undoubtedly be a large piece of the Vols' defensive play next season.

It is well-known that the Tennessee Volunteers have been a great team that thrives off the defense. This has been the team's identity since Rick Barnes has been the coach. Last season, the defensive presence was alive and well with basketball on Rocky Top. The Vols were fourth in the SEC as a team regarding steals, averaging 8.3 per game.

They also gave up an average of 57.9 points per game to opponents, a very low number to keep up throughout the entire year. Most importantly, the Vols were the highest-rated defensive team during last season. A big part of this defensive success was Jahmai Mashack. The junior from Fontana, California, has been an anchor for Tennessee on the defensive end. When he got more playing time last season, that came to light. While playing 533 more minutes than he did in his first season, Mashack got plenty more steals to show just how dynamic and active he could be in the Tennessee backcourt.

Tennessee G Jahmai Mashack going up for a dunk against Kentucky in Rupp Arena on February 18, 2023. (Photo by Jordan Prather of USA Today Sports)

He was third on the team in steals behind Zakai Zeigler and Santiago Vescovi. He was only nine steals back from Vescovi, who started in 20 more games than him. The "big picture idea" behind all of this is that Mashack has grown away from the role of being a young energy source for the Vols defensively. He is now older on a roster with many young freshmen and transfers. Mashack can grow into a role that leads him to become one who is an example of what Tennessee's culture has become under coach Barnes. He can lead the way and show the transfers what the defensive mindset is all about for this season. He can also do that for the freshman who will impact the program for years. 

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