4 keys to victory: Tennessee vs. Mississippi State
The Tennessee basketball Volunteers now know their opponent for the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament. Mississippi State overcame a halftime deficit against LSU in the 8-9 game on Thursday afternoon, and now the Vols will play one of the 4 teams who beat them in SEC play. Mississippi State handed the Vols their first SEC loss on January 10th by a score of 77-72 in Starkville. The Vols want revenge, but more importantly, they want to notch some more wins before selection Sunday. Let’s take a look at 4 key things the Vols need to do to take care of business against Mississippi State.
Guard Josh Hubbard
Josh Hubbard is State’s most electric player. He can launch 3’s from anywhere, and he has the quickness to beat people off the dribble. Hubbard dropped 25 against the Vols back in January and paced the Bulldogs in the 2nd half as Tennessee’s comeback came up short. Tennessee has to keep Hubbard from going thermonuclear. If the Vols can hold him under 20 points I don’t see a scenario where the Bulldog’s other players score enough to come out on top.
Keep Tolu Smith off the free-throw line
Tolu Smith is one of the most experienced and hard-to-guard frontcourt players in the SEC. Smith has a knack for getting to the line and converting his fair share of and-1s. A Tolu Smith and-1 is what put State ahead in the final minute against the Vols in January. Smith ended his night against the Vols with 23 points, but without free throws, he would have only managed 14 points. If the Vols can limit his attempts at the free throw line it will keep his point total in check. Furthermore, it would keep Jonas Aidoo and Tobe Awaka out of foul trouble as both Aidoo and Awaka fouled out during the game in January.
Play a team game
Listen I love watching Dalton Knecht score 35+ points as much as any Vol fan, but after what happened against Kentucky I’m not sure the Knecht show gives the Vols the best chance to succeed in March. Don’t get me wrong Knecht should take the most shots, but if his teammates fail to pull their weight Knecht will be gassed by the Sweet 16. Knecht needs to make it a point to get his teammates involved when he draws double teams, and when his teammates are open they need to knock down the shot. I would love to see Knecht lead the team in scoring with 20-25 points, and for the likes of Zeigler, Aidoo, James, and Vescovi to be reaching 8-10 points. A team effort against Mississippi State would give me a ton of hope for the weeks to follow.
Leave no doubt
The Vols are the best team in the SEC. The Vols are favored to win the SEC tournament. It would be nice to have a stress-free afternoon against the Bulldogs in a game that on paper should not be close. If the Vols come out and struggle it will raise a lot of questions. You would have to wonder if the Kentucky loss is still lingering. However, a veteran team like Tennessee should not let losses linger. I expect the Vols to come out hungry since they are still chasing a 1-seed in the big dance. The SEC tournament is always crazy, but that doesn’t mean you are required to play down to your competition.