What Ifs and Bad Habits Doom Vols Against Tide

Despite opening up a 15 point second half lead over top seeded Alabama, Tennessee found themselves falling into bad habits on the floor and the bench. Ultimately, the Vols blow an opportunity that will leave Tennessee basketball and their fans stinging.

The Vols have their SEC Tournament ended in the Semifinals with a 73-68 loss to top seeded Alabama, however what will haunt the Vols going forward is what could have been. Despite losing to the Tide, Tennessee led by as many as 15 points in the second half, before allowing Alabama to chip away and claim the lead. The Vols played the game without John Fulkerson, injured and kept out because of an intentional elbow thrown by Omar Payne of Florida yesterday. Tennessee will be left to wonder if Fulkerson could have helped contain Herb Jones and attack the Alabama interior. Despite it all Tennessee had a chance to take the lead with 25 seconds to go at the free throw line, but Ticket Gaines clanged both shots. The Vols had the ball again with 11.9 seconds left, and off a timeout worked the ball to Victor Bailey, who took an off balance, contested, desperation three pointer with 5 seconds left to play. What if this team could play two halves? What if Rick Barnes used a timeout to stop a run? What if Gaines makes just one of his free throws? What if will haunt these Vols as they watch Alabama advance to play in the SEC Title Game, while they yet again fall short of their goals and expectations. 

Even without Fulkerson, the Vols came out in the first half playing strong. Jaden Springer and Keon Johnson had stellar halves offensively and defensively. The Vols led at the half by a score of 40-31 behind the strong offensive performances of the freshmen and stout defense against one of the most explosive offenses in all of college basketball. Despite giving up some huge threes late, Tennessee held an Alabama team that lives behind the arc to just 7 made threes and 25% shooting from deep. Those represent some of the lowest totals of the season for Alabama in those areas. Starting the second half strong, Tennessee was able to push their lead to 15 points. The efficiency Tennessee was showing on offense coupled with their excellent defense, especially on the three-point shot, looked like Tennessee was set to reach the SEC Championship Game to try and end their 42-year SEC Tournament Championship drought. That was until their same old issues came to haunt them again.

Tennessee got sloppy with the basketball and began to whistled for multiple offensive fouls, several of which had Rick Barnes talking with officials. A few of the charge calls were very close at best, flops at worst, but they all seemed to go Bama’s way. This resulted in the Tennessee offense doing what it seems to do in every, single game for the last three seasons, going completely ice cold for a long stretch of the game. The foul calls gave Alabama more opportunities, and the Tide took advantage, all while the Tennessee offense couldn’t find any kind of shot they were able to hit from the floor. Yet again, the Vols gave up a 12-0 run to allow the Tide back into the game. Yet again, Rick Barnes refused to use a timeout to try to stop the run and help his team regain some momentum. Yet again, Barnes refused to use his timeout to draw up a play to get his team an easy score. As a result of Tennessee falling into the same holes they have fallen into all season, Alabama was able to fight their way back into the lead.

Still, late in the game, Tennessee still had a chance. Alabama had the ball after a poor shot by the Vols. As the Tide worked on offense, up one, a foul was called on Alabama that would put Tennessee to the line. The problem was, it put Tennessee sophomore Ticket Gaines at the line. Gaines was in, one would think, as a defensive upgrade for the Vols, but he is also a 50% free throw shooter. More bizarre, Gaines was in for Santiago Vescovi, who is the best clutch free throw shooter on the Volunteer roster. Gaines played significant minutes as a freshman, however he has seldom been on the floor this season. Had Fulkerson not been injured and knocked out in the Florida game, it is unlikely Gaines would have been in at the end of the game or for as many minutes as he played period. Still, Barnes had elected to put him in the game down one, and the sophomore found himself at the line with an opportunity to put Tennessee ahead with 25 seconds to play. Instead, Gaines clanged both free throws and Alabama secured the rebound, forcing Tennessee to foul and allowing the Tide to stretch their lead. Gaines was quickly pulled, and Vescovi re-entered the game. Though the Vols had blown their lead and a chance to regain it at the free throw line, with 11.9 seconds left, they had another opportunity to tie the game up down three. It appears Barnes tried to draw up a play to get the ball not to Keon Johnson, who finished with 20 points, 9 rebounds, and an assist, Jaden Springer who had 18 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists and who was 2-3 from deep, or Santiago Vescovi who had 11 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and was 3-6 from three. Instead, Barnes got the ball to Victor Bailey, who despite having the most made three point shots for the Vols this season, is a streaky shooter that scored just 4 points against Alabama including 0-3 from deep. The Vols worked the ball around, and with 5 seconds left, Bailey jacked up an off balance, contested three that missed everything. Whether the play was designed to go to Bailey or not, he had to know his shot was defended and to pass to someone else. That the play was designed to go to Bailey was bizarre in and of itself. It just stacked another what if and bad decision into the last 10 minutes for the Vols. 

Tennessee has to feel that a healthy John Fulkerson could have helped to contain Herb Jones, who was stellar for Alabama. They also have to feel he would have given them more interior production. All teams deal with injuries, but losing Fulkerson the day before to a deliberate attempt to injure him is frustrating. Still, Tennessee had every chance to win this game and advance. The Vols had built a large lead and showed they had what it took to best Alabama. Then, they and their coach fell into the same problems that have haunted them all season long. The same issues from the first game against Colorado that Tennessee and Rick Barnes have failed to find a way to eliminate. Questionable coaching decisions late, missed free throws, and bad shot choices means that a Tennessee team picked to win the SEC before the season makes a semifinal exit, falling short of their expectations under Barnes yet again. The Vols will now await Selection Sunday to see their NCAA Tournament opponent.