Keys To Victory: Tennessee vs. Purdue

The red-hot Tennessee Volunteers face off against one of the top teams in college basketball, Purdue. Here are the Vols' keys to victory.

Tennessee has a huge matchup in basketball on deck for today as the Volunteers, who are currently ranked #7 in the nation, will be taking on the #2-ranked Purdue Boilermakers in what is expected to be a physical, hard-fought game in the semifinals of the Maui Invitational, which is hosted in Honolulu, Hawaii, this year due to the wildfires that took place earlier this year. Purdue is a tough team; however, Tennessee is a tough team as well, and there will be many keys to success that the Vols will need to capitalize on to bring home a win.

Limit Zach Edey's Easy Touches

Zach Edey has gotten off to a hot start after an elite year last season. He currently leads the team in points, blocks, and rebounds. His averages are 21.8 points, 11.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 3.5 blocks per game. This will likely be a matchup for the junior big man, Jonas Aidoo. The self-proclaimed giraffe, Jonas Aidoo, has been a key factor in the success of this Tennessee team, as even yesterday, he put together a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Aidoo has put together an average of 8.8 points and 8.3 rebounds per game in this young season. The one thing that Aidoo has on Edey for certain is his shooting ability. If needed, the big man in Tennessee Orange can easily shoot from behind the arch or bang it in from mid-range, as we have seen him take many shots outside of the paint. If Tennessee wants to exploit a mismatch or open up a lane, it would be smart to drag Jonas Aidoo outside the paint. That way, it can open a drive-by lane for fellow guards and forwards.

Stay out of Foul Trouble

Anyone who has watched Purdue knows they will shoot tons of free throws, most of which come from their big man, Edey. They have attempted 83 free throws this year, and 40 of them came from Edey. This is not an uncommon thing, as we have seen similar situations, especially watching Tennessee games. With Tennessee playing aggressive defense, it will be important that they find a way to stay out of foul trouble, as they are already limited in who they have due to injuries, and the last thing they need is for someone, especially a big man, to foul out. We saw this twice last year when the Vols took on the Kentucky Wildcats and Oscar Tshiebwe. During those games, they got in foul trouble and started battling adversity, and Kentucky quickly took advantage of that as they walked away with a win both times. If the Vols can limit the fouls and the free throws, they will be in a prime position to walk away with a win.

1 Key Contributor 

Tennessee will need someone to take over this game. The most common answer if you were to ask someone who would take over this game would likely be newly-added transfer Dalton Knecht. However, that is very possible. Do not be shocked if you see a big-time game from someone like Santiago Vescovi or Josiah Jordan-James. We have seen both take over in big games like this.

A prime example is when Tennessee competed in the finals of the Battle 4 Atlantis against Kansas. Vescovi put together a showcase that was like no other. Vescovi totaled 20 points, six rebounds, two assists, and one steal in that showcase. If Tennessee can have a playmaker show up and show out tonight, it will be an overall good night for the boys in orange and white!

Tennessee Volunteers HC Rick Barnes during media availability for the Maui Invitational. (Photo by Steven Erler of USA Today Sports)

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