Hubbs helps Vols improve to 3-1 on basketball court

 Tennessee forward Armani Moore (4) defends during an NCAA college basketball game against Gardner-Webb on Sunday, Nov. 22, 2015. (Wade Payne/Knoxville News Sentinel via AP)
Tennessee forward Armani Moore (4) defends during an NCAA college basketball game against Gardner-Webb on Sunday, Nov. 22, 2015. (Wade Payne/Knoxville News Sentinel via AP)

KNOXVILLE - Robert Hubbs III didn't score the most points for Tennessee in Sunday's 89-64 win over Gardner-Webb. That honor went to senior guard Kevin Punter, whose 24 points nosed out wing Devon Baulkman's 22.

Nor did Hubbs necessarily make the most memorable plays, not with Baulkman burying six 3-pointers, Punter swishing five of them and senior Armani Moore hauling in a remarkable 16 rebounds.

But in a game the Vols led by 19 points at one point in the first half only to trail by two with 10:26 to play, it was Hubbs who made the crucial baskets that led to Tennessee's third win in four games to start the season and the first by more than 10 points.

"Tennessee certainly handled those last 10 minutes the way you need to handle it to win the game," said Gardner-Webb coach Tim Craft, whose team fell to 1-3. "Hubbs getting in the paint and getting those putbacks, which is something he does well, really hurt."

Hubbs has been rumored to do many things well since he first arrived three years ago as a five-star recruit out of Newbern. But a shoulder first injured in high school eventually shut down his freshman season, and there were never more than glimpses of greatness his sophomore year, when Donnie Tyndall's offensive system did him no favors. Despite playing nearly 25 minutes per night, he averaged less than 8 points per game.

But he scored 17 against Gardner-Webb, which is right on his early-season average of 16.8. He also grabbed six rebounds and handed out four assists without committing a single turnover.

"Robert's got great hands," Vols coach Rick Barnes said. "His teammates have great confidence in him that he can catch a pass that's not a perfect pass. He can also really finish. He can get his shot off against anybody, and I mean anybody."

After soaring to a 34-15 lead off a Hubbs layup with 5:12 to play before the break, the Vols pretty much quit hitting shots the rest of the half as their offense slowed against the Bulldogs' zone defense. The visitors pulled within 41-37 at halftime, much to the dismay of the generously announced crowd of 11,911.

The situation didn't improve for the Vols over the first 10 minutes of the second half as they let a 49-39 cushion become a 57-55 deficit.

"I told KP (Punter) that we didn't want to slow down," Barnes said. "But that's also my fault. We haven't spent as much time working against the zone in practice as we need to."

Perhaps not, but Hubbs - who was not made available to the media after the game - has apparently spent a lot of time figuring out how to score inside against the zone.

No fewer than three times in a span of five minutes down the stretch, he got layups via assists or putbacks. His nine points over that stretch helped turn a potential loser into a laugher.

"He just dominated the paint area," Punter said. "He plays above the rim. He's really on a roll."

And the Vols suddenly seem to be rolling right along with him as they prepare for Army's visit Tuesday night.

Contact Mark Wiedmer at mwiedmer@timesfreepress.com.

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