While Tennessee has jumped up the charts offensively in recent seasons thanks to key additions such as Dalton Knecht and Chaz Lanier, the DNA of Rick Barnes’ Volunteer teams hasn’t changed. Tennessee wants to suffocate their opponent on the defensive end of the court, challenge shots, and make life miserable for opposing shooters.
Through 14 games this season, Tennessee ranks No. 1 in the league in defensive rating according to KenPom. But this isn’t necessarily a team full of returning starters who know the expectations of a Rick Barnes defensive team – that was last year’s team. Yes, Tennessee still retained Zakai Zeigler and Jahmai Mashack, who are two phenomenal defenders themselves. But what’s ultra-impressive about Tennessee’s defense this year is that they brought four transfer players in, three of whom are starters averaging more than 21 minutes on the court – Chaz Lanier, Igor Milicic Jr., and Felix Okpara.
Tennessee’s transfers have brought offensive firepower to the team but have bought into the Vols’ defensive-minded presence, too.
One of the biggest ways Tennessee impacts the game defensively is by challenging shots. It sounds a bit simple but the importance can’t be understated. Regardless of the competition on the court, Tennessee makes it a clear focus to attack opposing shooters and challenge every shot that leaves the fingertips.
While speaking on Saturday night’s episode of The Field of 68 podcast, former NBA player and former two-time ACC Defensive Player of the Year John Henson broke down that very thing.
“The thing I loved about Tennessee even more, they challenge every shot,” Henson said. “We had a defensive coach in the league. He charted every shot we challenged. There was an 18% drop off when you challenge a shot. Tennessee does that every shot, no matter what. I love their aggression. I love their defense.”
Considering NBA players are better offensively than college players as a whole, that 18% mark might even be more staggering on Tennessee’s side of things.
Henson, a former First Team All-ACC selection with North Carolina in 2012, knows the game of college basketball inside and out. Hearing Henson rave about Tennessee’s bully-ball mentality should fire up any U.T. fan heading into the conference slate.
“It was just kind of a men amongst boys,” Henson said about Tennessee’s dominant win over Arkansas on Saturday. “I mean, just bullying them, they were rebounding the ball, they were defending. They just kind of took Arkansas’ spirit.”
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Arkansas head coach John Calipari used the word “manhandled” twice during his six-minute postgame interview on Saturday to describe the disparity between the Vols and the Razorbacks.
Arkansas is averaging 50.7% shooting from the floor this year, which is good for second place in the SEC behind only Auburn. Against Tennessee, though, the Razorbacks shot just 37.7% from the field and 20.7% from three-point range.
While Calipari may have you believe that the lack of scheduling a shootaround hurt Arkansas’ shooting on Saturday, which make no mistake, it did, and that’s on the coaching staff, Tennessee’s defense still had the Razorbacks in a blender by contesting everything that was being taken.
Tennessee’s identity is built on defense, and even with a team loaded with transfers brought in for some offensive firepower, the Vols’ ability to challenge shots still separates them from the majority of the league.
Check out the full clip from The Field of 68 podcast below:
