Three Things to Watch in Tennessee’s Opener Against Gardner-Webb
Credit: University of Tennessee Athletics
By Tucker Harlin
The 2024-25 basketball season is upon us!
#12 Tennessee faces Gardner-Webb in Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center Monday at 7 p.m. ET. The game will air on SEC Network Plus.
These are three things to watch as the Vols and Bulldogs square off this evening.
OFFENSIVE PACE ON BOTH SIDES
One of the handful of things Rick Barnes said about Gardner-Webb last week was its ability to play fast on offense. Based on what Barnes said, you can expect shots to go up in the first 10-15 seconds of the shot clock regularly and some aggressive cutting to the basket.
The reason I’m keeping my eyes on Tennessee’s offensive pace is due to the frenetic nature at which it operated in the exhibition.
In many instances, it felt like Tennessee was running out in transition, making one pass, and missing a rushed shot. The Vols want to move fast, but the shot selection must improve.
It’s safe to say both these teams will look to force the issue quickly on offense.
FELIX OKPARA’S OFFENSIVE PRODUCTION
Of all the transfers Tennessee acquired in the offseason, none jumped off the page more in the exhibition than Felix Okpara.
His physicality on both ends of the court is something the Vols haven’t seen from one of their big men in a long time. His impact against Oumar Ballo on defense was something absent all of last season for Tennessee against some of the best bigs in the country.
But offensive paint touches weren’t something Okpara received much of against Indiana.
Barnes said they planned to work the ball inside to Okpara regularly against the Hoosiers, but anyone who watched the exhibition knew they were unable to.
Gardner-Webb doesn’t feature any big men close to the size of Okpara, so he could eat should the Vols work the ball inside often.
POTENTIAL ROTATION ESTABLISHMENT
I expect Barnes to roll out the same starting lineup as he did in the exhibition. Barnes knows what he has in the three guards while both Milicic and Okpara exhibit those intangibles every player in the program must have to see the floor.
We can assume Chaz Lanier gets the most minutes off the bench if he’s not getting to start, and J.P. Estrella and Cade Phillips are the primary options at the five and four spots off the bench.
The players I’m paying attention to most in the rotations are Cameron Carr and Darlinstone Dubar.
Between the two, we saw Carr the most in the exhibition. Some of the hasty offensive decision making and struggles on defense are holding Carr’s minutes back, but Barnes stressed the team’s need for Carr to take the next step last week.
Of all the portal acquisitions, Dubar saw the floor the least. It sounds like Dubar’s defense may be behind schedule, so he’ll have to step up on that end to earn more minutes.
