Tennessee shooting guard Santiago Vescovi didn’t suit up in the Vols’, 84-49, victory over Eastern Kentucky. It was the second consecutive game Vescovi’s missed after straining his shooting shoulder in Tennessee’s win over McNeese State last week.
Vescovi didn’t dress out for either game but head coach Rick Barnes believes the injury is just “day-to-day” and shouldn’t cost the senior sharpshooter serious time.
Tennessee playing without Vescovi against Alcorn State and Eastern Kentucky is no concern. However, the Vols’ schedule is heating up with upcoming back-to-back games against No. 13 Maryland and No. 10 Arizona.
So is Vescovi tracking to being back in the lineup for Sunday’s neutral site showdown with the Terrapins?
“I think he is,” Barnes said Wednesday night. “I saw today when we were on the other end going through scout he was down on the other end actually shooting the ball some today. (Trainer) Chad (Newman) does a great job. He told me today, he was the first person I saw and he told me he felt better today but he still has a couple more days. Tomorrow we will be off and then we’ll have Friday and Saturday to get ready for that game.”
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The returning All-SEC selection’s shooting hasn’t lived up to his extremely high standards through seven games but he’s played very well nonetheless. Vescovi’s averaging 12 points, five rebounds and 3.4 assists per game.
Barnes was extremely complimentary of Vescovi’s defense at the Battle 4 Atlantis — where Tennessee won three games and Vescovi earned tournament MVP honors. The senior guard is second on the Vols with 2.6 steals per game.
Vescovi’s shoulder injury isn’t the only one Tennessee has been dealing with this season. Fellow senior Josiah-Jordan James has missed four games with a knee injury that limited him all offseason.
James returned to the lineup for Tennessee’s last two games but admitted that his status will be a “game-to-game thing” moving forward.
Tip-off between Tennessee and Maryland is at 4:30 p.m. ET Sunday at the Barclays Center. FOX Sports 1 is broadcasting the game.
