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Kennedy Chandler looks more comfortable in the month of February, and the stats back it up. The Vols’ freshman has been on a tear in the last few weeks, elevating his game on both ends of the court.
On Tuesday night in Columbia against Missouri, Chandler was terrific, leading the Vols with 23 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. Not to mention, Chandler did not commit a single turnover in 37 minutes of action on the court.
Whatever has clicked for Chandler in the month of February has been immensely valuable for Tennessee.
During Tennessee’s eight games in the month of January, Chandler was averaging 12.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 3.3 turnovers per game. Additionally, Chandler was shooting 41.45 percent from the field during that stretch.
However, after losing to Texas in the final game of the month, Chandler found a new gear in his game and has been able to raise his production all over the court. Interestingly enough, Chandler’s scoring difference between the months is only about two points. What’s been more valuable to Tennessee is his rise in production on the defensive end and during hustle plays.
In the seven games so far during the month of February, Chandler is averaging 14.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and only 2.2 turnovers. Additionally, Chandler has been taking smarter shots this month, averaging more than 49 percent from the floor in these seven games.
Kennedy Chandler with the steal and slam 💥 pic.twitter.com/PvlE2Bptdl
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) February 23, 2022
Kennedy Chandler: Vols’ Freshmen Shine At Missouri
“[Chandler has] learned how to read defenses and he’s talking,” Tennessee HC Rick Barnes said after the Missouri game. “He looked over at me tonight and said, ‘Hey coach, they’re switching one through four.’ So I looked at him and said, ‘Well, you know what to do. You take advantage of it.’ He’s talking. He’s just matured so much, understanding and learning there’s so much more to the game than what he had thought- in terms of how he always played with the ball in his hands, and when he didn’t have it he stood [still].”
Since his arrival to Tennessee, Chandler’s defense has been a significant talking point for Barnes. Throughout different points in the season, Barnes would relay certain things he saw about Chandler’s defense and how it could improve during his post-game press conferences. However, since that Texas game, Chandler has taken strides in his defensive pressure on and off the ball.
“Defensively, I think he’s learning now how to really play defense,” Barnes said about Chandler. “You know, almost a 6-foot-7 wingspan, he’s learning how to use that. He’s never had to deal with different ball screen coverages. And, you know, we have a package that we go through but from his point of view, I’ve told him from day one, you’re going to have to become a great ball screen defender and he has worked hard at doing that. He’s learned really so much how to move without the ball in his hands.”
Going back in the season, Chandler’s career-high in points came in December on the road against Colorado, in which he dropped 27. However, in five of his next seven games, Chandler failed to reach double digits in scoring. During that same stretch, Chandler only shot above 40 percent from the field twice. In hindsight, Barnes said that game was in some ways a curse because it made the game look easy for Chandler. And as the point guard quickly found it, no two games would be the same.
That game was a long time ago, though, and Kennedy Chandler is a different player now. The talented newcomer with raw potential has blossomed into a legitimate defensive-minded starting point guard for a team that has spent every week of the season ranked in the Top 25.
“Me, from Colorado to now, just being more productive,” Chandler said about what has changed in his game since December. “[I] don’t take any game for granted … Taking care of the ball. Honestly, that’s why I think I had… I don’t think I had any turnovers today. So just taking care of the ball, playing harder. I learned from Colorado that each game won’t be the same. What I did in the Colorado game, I won’t do that in my next game. So knowing that each game is going to be different, ball coverage, and just how the teams play.”
Barnes felt the same was as Chandler, saying that understanding the complexity of the game and the talent level of each opponent has helped his young freshman prepare for the grueling stretch of the end of the season.
“I think it’s night and day difference,” Barnes said when comparing Chandler then and now. “It looked so easy for him early in the game. And I think he went out thinking every game was going to be like that. He really struggled at times after that [Colorado] game. Where changing defenses, he thought each game was going to be just a repeat defense.”
Chandler’s rise in productive play is coming at the right time for Tennessee. The Vols will host former Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl and the No. 3 Auburn Tigers this Saturday afternoon in Knoxville’s Thompson-Boling Arena. With all the talent that Auburn will bring into the arena, Tennessee will need Kennedy Chandler to be the magician he has been so far this month.
