Tennessee basketball is back in action on Saturday afternoon when they face Texas A&M in a top 10 tilt in College Station.
The Vols are a game behind Texas A&M in the SEC standings and a win would be massive for Tennessee’s chances to to get a double bye in the SEC Tournament and a one-seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Here’s three things to watch for in the SEC showdown in the Lone Star State.
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The Game Will Be Won On The Glass
Rebounding has been a key I’ve highlighted in a number of games this season. The SEC is a fantastic rebounding league and Tennessee is 1-3 in SEC play when they lose the rebounding battle.
But this game is the most significant rebounding game. Texas A&M’s offense is all about offensive rebounding. Star guard Wade Taylor IV bombs triples and everyone else attacks the glass hard. The Aggies are the nation’s best offensive rebounding team, grabbing 41.9% of their misses.
Texas A&M is a good not great defensive rebounding team so there are chances for the Vols to have success on the offensive glass themselves.
Tennessee has to come out the gates ready to match Texas A&M’s physicality and to battle on the glass. They’ll have a hard time winning if they don’t.
Can Tennessee Stay Out Of Foul Trouble?
The challenge in matching Texas A&M’s physicality is to do it without fouling. Rebounding is the best thing the Aggies do offensively. The next best thing is get to the foul line. 22.5% of Texas A&M’s points come from the foul line. That’s a mark that ranks 35th nationally.
It goes both ways though. Texas A&M gives up 21.7% of its points at the foul line. Tennessee needs to be aggressive getting to the basket in hopes of getting to the foul line.
But foul trouble is a bigger issue for Tennessee. The Vols play a seven-to-eight player rotation and are incredibly thin in the front court with JP Estrella out for the season. Tennessee needs to keep front court players out of foul trouble, particularly Felix Okpara and Cade Phillips.
What Will Chaz Lanier Give Tennessee?
Tennessee shooting guard Chaz Lanier has struggled on the road in SEC play. In seven SEC home games, Lanier is averaging 17.4 points per game on 39% shooting from three-point range. But in six SEC road games, Lanier is averaging 13 points per game on 27% shooting from three-point range.
Lanier is by far Tennessee’s best scorer and when he plays well, Tennessee’s offense finds a much different gear. The Vols are 15-0 when he scored 18 points or more this season. They’re 6-5 when he scores less than 18 points and are 3-5 in SEC play.
If Lanier is a constant offensive force for Tennessee, they can outpace a Texas A&M team that struggles to score. If he doesn’t, Tennessee will have to win a rock fight.
