Those inflated expectations for Tennessee basketballentering this seasonare becoming more unrealistic now, but they weren't at the time.
Much of it had to do with recruiting.The Vols scored the nation’s No. 5 class in 2020 (per 247SportsComposite rankings) because of five-stars Jaden Springer and Keon Johnson. They’d join a roster already experienced, capable and deep.
A Final Four team? Yeah, you could see it then.
And you still could now, I suppose, if you’re the optimistic sort.
I can no longer in good faith recommend that, though. Too many warning signs continue to pop up about this team, and they all say the same thing: Tennessee – while good at times – simply can’t be trusted.
Not just trusted to win games. Trusted to show up and be competitive in them.
The most troublesome development yet was Saturday’s 70-55 drubbingin Knoxvilleby one of the worst Kentucky teams ever.
It was even worse than that 26-point loss at Florida or 13-point defeatat LSU.
Because for more than a decade, the big-picture measuring stick for Tennessee basketball’s progress has been Kentucky. Over the years, some wonderful games played by wonderful teams, and it's hard to think of many in which the Vols were outplayed as badly as Saturday.
Supposedly one of Rick Barnes’ best UT teams – at home in a nationally televised marquee contest– couldn’t hang with a UK team that hasn’t been within shouting distance of an averageJohn Calipari team.
"Am I disappointed? I'm very disappointed,” Barnes said. “Because I just think that we should be beyondthis point inthe inconsistencies that we're getting."
If CBS’ scoreboard at the bottom of the screen wasn’t there as a reminder, you’d have thought Tennessee was the one limping along with a 7-13 record and Kentucky was 15-5 and playing for a top-four seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Those looking to excuse such an ugly Saturday for the Vols could point to those2020 recruiting rankings. Tennessee’s class was No. 5? Hey, Kentucky’s class was No. 1!
These Wildcats have so badly underperformed their talent. Surely, they were going to figure it out eventually and let loose on somebody. They did, and that somebody happened to be the Vols.
But I’m not here to dwell on why Kentucky hasn’t been better. That might take all day.
I’dlike to know why Tennessee isn’t better – or at least more consistent.
Because as it stands now, this is a talented Tennesseeteam that is close to wasting an opportunity to do big thingsbecause … well … we don’t really know why.
Barnes didn’t necessarily have an explanationfor the inconsistency Saturday. It appears he's still searching, too,though he didn’t sugarcoat his assessment. He suggested surprise thatthe Vols lost by only 15 “because I thought we were that bad.” He called his team “lethargic.”
He said they didn’t handle success well, and there might be something to that one.
“We’ll come out and win one game by 20 and lose the next one,” said junior guard Victor Bailey Jr., whose 18 points Saturday were one of few bright spots. “… We’ve just got to find something that gets us ready to go every single day. Once we find that, we’ll be fine.”
Question: Can a team just find that “something” if it doesn’t already have it?
This seems mental as much as physical – and more than just the expected inconsistencies of a young team. Too many veterans on the Vols for that excuse.
Entering Saturday, for example, Tennessee had seven players averaging at least 8.9 points – though none had more than Springer’s 12.4.
What happens when Springer goes 2-for-11, as he did Saturday, scoring four points? Tennessee has so many viable scoring options – players who could go off at a moment’s notice –and yet no consistent scoring threats. No players – older or younger -- who can be relied on to do it every game, ones who want the ball when it matters most.
“Just as a team, I mean, there's not one guy that hasn't been inconsistent,” Barnes said. “I think we all know that if we can put things together, we've got a chance to be a good basketball team, a team that could play with anybody.”
I’m choosing, perhaps against better judgment, to still believe Barnes is correct about that.
I can’t yet conclude that so many werewrong about these Vols, as there are good reasons the favorites still wouldn’t relish tangling with them in the Big Dance.
When one loss ends the season, it’s not advisable to lean too much on perimeter shooting, for example. Buta team can rely on depth, physicality, stingy defense, and Tennessee has all of that. The Vols entered Saturday atop the SEC in scoring defense, field-goal defense and turnover margin.
That dog’ll hunt in March, you’d normally think.
But forthis mercurialTennessee team, how could you?
How can anyone view these Vols as anything close toreliable?Ordependable?Or a team that's going to be capable ofmore than building their fans’ hopes up just enough to ultimately let them down?
Reach Gentry Estes at gestes@tennessean.com and on Twitter @Gentry_Estes.
