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Could Tennessee win the National Championship (Basketball)?

Posted on 1/18/19 at 11:47 am
Posted by LSUbase13
Mt. Pleasant, SC
Member since Mar 2008
15060 posts
Posted on 1/18/19 at 11:47 am
Obviously, there is a plethora of different variables and luck is almost always needed. That said, could this Tennessee team realistically win the men's National Title this year? Duke, Kansas, and Michigan all look great. Tennessee has the depth and experience. What do you think?
Posted by ItchyandScratchy
Member since Jan 2019
1051 posts
Posted on 1/18/19 at 11:48 am to
Yes they are very good.
Posted by BIGFOOD
Member since Jun 2011
12506 posts
Posted on 1/18/19 at 11:50 am to
Yes. UT is legit
Posted by TRUERockyTop
Appalachia
Member since Sep 2011
15819 posts
Posted on 1/18/19 at 11:51 am to
Yes. This is the deepest/most complete team in UT history.

Our 2nd man off the bench is the 3rd leading scorer in conference play. Think about that.

The #1 and #2 scorers in the conference are Grant Williams and Admiral Schofield. 3 other VOLS (Jordan Bowden, Jordan Bone & Kyle Alexander) are averaging double digits per game. With Lamonte Turner averaging double digits during SEC play.

SEC Rank: National Rank:
PPG: 1st in SEC-- 8th nationally
Assist: 1st in SEC -- 2nd nationally
Assist / Turnover ratio 1st in SEC -- 2nd Nationally
FG %: 1st in SEC -- 2nd nationally
FG% Def 1st in SEC-- 7th nationally
Free Throw % 1st in SEC-- 17th nationally
Def. Rebounds: 2nd in SEC-- 19th nationally
Blocks 3rd in SEC -- 7th nationally
This post was edited on 1/18/19 at 12:38 pm
Posted by bigpapamac
Mobile, AL
Member since Oct 2007
22378 posts
Posted on 1/18/19 at 11:52 am to
Of course they could.
This post was edited on 1/18/19 at 11:54 am
Posted by kywildcatfanone
Wildcat Country!
Member since Oct 2012
119293 posts
Posted on 1/18/19 at 11:53 am to
They could, yes.
Posted by Vecchio Cane
Ivory Tower
Member since Jul 2016
17767 posts
Posted on 1/18/19 at 11:55 am to
The Vols have championship quality team.

My main concern would be Barnes. He's crapped the bed with quality tournament teams before
Posted by rich4pres
Knoxville
Member since Dec 2016
9782 posts
Posted on 1/18/19 at 11:57 am to
Hell yeah
Posted by sand mountainDvalues
Member since Oct 2018
8718 posts
Posted on 1/18/19 at 12:02 pm to
6 players averaging double digits.

2 Wooden award caliber players.

Best passing team in the country.

Don’t turn it over often.

Good defensively (could be better but our efficiency gets skewed due to the #of blowouts we’ve had this year.

Veteran team.

We are very similar to some recent Nova squads, injuries will be the only thing to derail this season
This post was edited on 1/18/19 at 12:08 pm
Posted by Possumslayer
Pascagoula
Member since Jan 2018
6208 posts
Posted on 1/18/19 at 12:07 pm to
Bench scored 50 last game.
Posted by ElectricWizard0
Member since Jul 2017
2702 posts
Posted on 1/18/19 at 12:08 pm to
quote:

Our 2nd man off the bench is the 3rd leading scorer in conference play. Think about that.


Well then it looks like your first 6 need to take a look in the mirror and start playing like starters!

Kidding aside, UT has a great squad that can absolutely make a deep run. Looking forward to February 23rd when y’all come to the PMAC. LSUs team is young but very talented and getting better every game
Posted by sand mountainDvalues
Member since Oct 2018
8718 posts
Posted on 1/18/19 at 12:11 pm to
That game has the potential to be the most entertaining game in the SEC this year. LSU are as athletic as any team in the county, just have to cut down on the sloppy play
Posted by BIGFOOD
Member since Jun 2011
12506 posts
Posted on 1/18/19 at 12:15 pm to
quote:

very similar to some recent Nova squads


Solid comparison.

Posted by ElectricWizard0
Member since Jul 2017
2702 posts
Posted on 1/18/19 at 12:15 pm to
Agreed. Turnovers and a team-wide breakdown every game up until ole miss the other night are what’s keeping this team from being a 1 loss squad. We were up 15(!) on Houston in the second half and blew it, and we were also up on FLA St late in the game and blew it too. Like I said, very young but very talented. I expect those kinds of errors to disappear soon as we saw with Ole Miss
This post was edited on 1/18/19 at 12:16 pm
Posted by thatguy45
Your alter's mom's basement
Member since Sep 2017
18893 posts
Posted on 1/18/19 at 12:19 pm to
Of course they can. It's basketball
Posted by TnMountaineer
Minglewood
Member since Aug 2018
3490 posts
Posted on 1/18/19 at 12:29 pm to
It pains me to type this but yes, yes they could. They’re a very good team. Potentially the best ever in Knoxville.

??????
Posted by TRUERockyTop
Appalachia
Member since Sep 2011
15819 posts
Posted on 1/18/19 at 12:32 pm to
Updated my original post above with SEC and national stat rankings. VOLS lead the SEC in almost every single metric/category.
Posted by Torch
Northshore Dr
Member since Feb 2017
3282 posts
Posted on 1/18/19 at 1:01 pm to
quote:

Duke, Kansas, and Michigan all look great.


Duke and Michigan look great.

Kansas looks ok. They will probs still win the Big 12, but who knows after that. And it sucks that they are our only L, but with Azubuike out for the season, they may not have the gas in the tank when we get to the tourney.

Virginia and Michigan are both undefeated. Gonzaga is good again this year. Duke and Tennessee have the best 1-2 punches in the NCAA this year. Michigan State is tough.

I think that the Big 10(UM, Mich St, Nebraska, Purdue) and the ACC (Duke, UVA, VT, UNC) will be tougher all-around this year. This isn't intended as a troll, but the SEC is a giant mess and no one other than VOLS have been meeting expectations, which might make Tennessee's chances to get out of the regular season without crippling injuries higher.

There might be 6+ 1-seed caliber teams come March. Someone is going to get a tough draw. We could do it. We might not. But we are having a blast right now and enjoying every second of it.

Edit: some SEC teams have also+ exceeded expectations at this point, but there's too much of the season left to judge the outcome.
This post was edited on 1/18/19 at 1:03 pm
Posted by rockiee
Sugar Land, TX
Member since Jan 2015
28540 posts
Posted on 1/18/19 at 1:18 pm to
quote:

Could Tennessee win the National Championship (Basketball)?


Could? Without question but some of it, like always, will come down to match ups along the way.
This post was edited on 1/18/19 at 1:19 pm
Posted by Leto II
Arrakis
Member since Dec 2018
21381 posts
Posted on 1/18/19 at 1:18 pm to
Yes, they are a great team.
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