Men’s Basketball Needs to…
Learn How to Finish Games
Rick Barnes has done a solid job of rebuilding Tennessee’s basketball program and has them poised to make it back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2014. But if they want to make it back there, they’re going to have to do a better job of closing out good teams.
The Vols have shown flashes of brilliance to start this 2017-18 season and currently sit at 9-3. But those three losses could easily be wins if only Tennessee had been able to close out in the final eight to ten minutes.
Tennessee had double-digit leads against Villanova and North Carolina at various points in those games and lead by as much as nine points at multiple times against Arkansas in the second half. Yet the Vols weren’t able to put away any of those teams despite grabbing those leads, and Tennessee has suffered three close losses that could’ve and probably should’ve been wins as a result.
If the Vols want to get back to the NCAA Tournament, they must improve on their late game play. Tennessee has yet to trail at halftime of a game this season, but that matter little when you can’t close out the second half of games. A lead at halftime isn’t nearly as important as having a lead when the clock hits zero in the second half.
Rick Barnes’ squads haven’t been able to close out tight games in his two-plus seasons at Tennessee. He’s just 9-11 in games decided by five points or fewer at Tennessee, and that includes a 2-2 mark so far this season. That record will have to improve as the Vols progress in conference play because the SEC is a much tighter conference this year than in the last few years.
Tennessee has to get better at closing out. And if they don’t, they may be doomed to disappoint.
