Tennessee to the SEC Championship
Bryce Harvey
WHAT. A. GAME. Tennessee just beat Kentucky in the semi-finals of the SEC tournament with a final of 82-78. The game might’ve just been a semi-final in a conference tournament, but this game did not feel like a semi-final game. There were numerous lead changes, ties and just overall emotions in this game. However, the Vols were able to edge the Wildcats down the stretch. So, what does this show about this Tennessee team?
First off, hats off to Kentucky. They fought their butts off and came up just short. However, this Wildcat team has positioned themselves for a deep run in the NCAA tournament. On top of that, this was a instant classic and, in my eyes, the best game of the year. That is probably a little bias, but this game felt like a Final Four game and had the atmosphere to backup the hype. Both teams were fighting for every lose ball, every possession and overall just fighting for the win.
Second off, this Tennessee team is a championship contender and proved it has a deeper bench than most people think. With 10 minutes to go in the game Tennessee’s center, Kyle Alexander, fouled out which left a gaping hole in the Vols defensive scheme. The Wildcats took advantage as they went on a run and took the largest lead of the game at 67-60. The Vols needed a spark. Insert John Fulkerson. Fulkerson is not known for his scoring ability, however he is like the energizer bunny. He only comes in for 3-5 minutes at a time, but he gives you everything he has. His help side defense is phenomenal even though he isn’t the most talented guy on the floor. Fulkerson didn’t do anything offensively noteworthy, but his hustle got Tennessee some much needed possessions down the stretch. The Vols finished the game on a hot streak and leaned on Admiral Schofield as he went for 21 points. Tennessee also leaned heavily on SEC player of the year Grant Williams, as he went for 20 points. While Schofield and Williams are the reason the game was close; Lamonte Turner’s clutch 3 and Jordan Bone’s free throw shooting is why Tennessee won the game. This game is the definition of a team win. Everybody did their job and made their teammates better in the process. With that being said, Tennessee has to turn its attention to a red hot Auburn team.
Bruce Pearl has his team firing on all cylinder as the Tigers are riding a 7 game win streak into the SEC championship. Auburn did need a little bit of luck today against Florida however. The Tigers got away with a blatant last second foul that (if called) could’ve potentially tied the game to send it to overtime. That is neither here nor there as Tennessee has to prepare for a deadly offensive attack. As we saw 8 days ago this Auburn team likes to run in the transition game and can shoot the three ball from anywhere on the floor. The Vols need to play better defense against the Tigers or else we could see Bruce Pearl cutting the net down. Tennessee is going to need another stellar performance from the dynamic duo of Schofield and Williams to capture the Vols first SEC tournament title since 1979. The stage is set for a great rematch and an even better cap to the SEC tournament. Tip-off is set for 1pm tomorrow on ESPN. GBO!
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