If quality guard play is a requirement for deep advancement in the NCAA basketball tournament, the Tennessee Volunteers appear to be checking that box and then some.
Tennessee juniors Josiah-Jordan James and Santiago Vescovi and freshmen Kennedy Chandler and Zakai Zeigler had never been better as a collection than this past weekend’s Southeastern Conference tournament in Tampa, where the Vols whipped Mississippi State, Kentucky and Texas A&M by an average of 11.7 points. The Vols trailed for just 68 seconds out of a possible 120 minutes in the three games, with the impressive guard play reflected by Chandler, James and Vescovi making the all-tournament team and Chandler earning most outstanding player.
Though not one to take anything for granted, veteran coach Rick Barnes recognizes that his guards provide way more than perimeter play entering his 26th career NCAA tournament.
“In the past, we’ve been more of an inside-out, throw it to a post guy and play through,” Barnes said in a news conference after Tennessee snagged its first SEC tournament title since 1979, “but these guys have learned to give us a post presence with their cutting and their penetration with the ball. The way they’ve grown in the confidence they have for each other is really something that we’re all proud of, and it is key.
“All of them at different times throughout this tournament made big plays for us.”
The Vols took Monday off and will practice Tuesday in preparation for Thursday afternoon’s NCAA tournament opener (2:45 on CBS) in Indianapolis against Longwood University.
Tennessee has never advanced all the way to the Final Four but could make a legitimate run as the South Regional’s three seed should its guards replicate their play from Tampa, where Chandler averaged 14.7 points a game, James 14.0 and Vescovi 12.0. Zeigler scored 11 points against both Mississippi State and Kentucky but struggled to a three-point, six-turnover performance in Sunday’s championship.
Remove Zeigler’s numbers against the Aggies, and the foursome racked up 42 assists against just 13 turnovers during the tournament.
Chandler had some inconsistent stints earlier in the year but has been stout in this stretch run. The five-star signee out of Memphis had 15 assists and three turnovers in Tampa, and shot 50% from 3-point range (6-of-12).
MARTIN MAKES FIVE
South Carolina on Monday announced the firing of Frank Martin following 10 seasons with the Gamecocks, bringing the number of Southeastern Conference coaching changes to five. Martin guided the Gamecocks to the program’s first Final Four appearance in 2017, but that would be his only NCAA tournament appearance. He led South Carolina to the NIT in 2016 and finished with a 171-147 record.Martin joins Georgia’s Tom Crean, Missouri’s Cuonzo Martin, LSU’s Will Wade and Florida’s Mike White as coaches no longer at their respective SEC institutions, though White is still in the league after leaving the Gators for Georgia.ESPN reported that Cleveland State’s Dennis Gates, Murray State’s Matt McMahon, UTC’s Lamont Paris and former Gamecocks standout BJ McKie are potential candidates to replace Martin.— David Paschall
“I came to Tennessee, and I thought it was going to be easy,” Chandler said, “but Coach Barnes let me know that every game was going to be difficult and that I was going to see different things. He has taught me so much, and I love him for that.
“He’s pushed me every single day to be the best player I can be.”
James and Vescovi were returning starters from last season’s 18-9 team that endured an abrupt loss to Oregon State in the first round of last year’s tournament, with each having become more versatile. Vescovi had six rebounds against Kentucky and had two steals in every tournament game, while James grabbed 10 rebounds Sunday and shot 52.9% from long range (9-of-17) for the tourney.
All four contributed to the Bulldogs, Wildcats and Aggies combining to make 12-of-56 of their 3-point attempts for a woeful 21.4% clip.
“The defensive part is our identity,” Vescovi said. “That’s what we strive for, and coaches put us in great spots to be successful in terms of scouting, who we’re playing against and how we have to guard. I think we do a good job as players of leaving our hearts and bodies out there on the court on every single play.”
Said Barnes: “Josiah and Santi don’t get near the credit for what they do on the defensive end.”
The most unexpected aspect to Tennessee’s guard play is Zeigler, who joined the program in late August and became a 5-foot-9 fan favorite as he routinely annoyed foes. While Chandler battled an ankle injury in Friday’s quarterfinal triumph, Zeigler stepped in and not only scored 11 but tallied eight assists and three steals.
Barnes admitted Sunday that he signed Zeigler with the objective of redshirting him. When did those plans change?
“As soon as we saw the way he guarded,” Barnes said. “It was right off the bat, and he was also the best shooter on our team, and I’m still not so sure that he isn’t now. Then, every time I walked through our practice facility no matter what time of day, he was in there working.
“He’s a tough guy, and he knows how to handle me. When I get mad, he just walks by me like my wife does.”
Tennessee’s inside game also contains an experience mix with veterans John Fulkerson and Uros Plavsic and freshmen Jonas Aidoo and Brandon Huntley-Hatfield, and all the parts seem to have come together for a team that was 11-5 in mid January and is 26-7 in mid March.
“This is by far the closest team that we’ve had since I’ve been here,” James said. “That’s no knock on any other team. It’s just praise for this team and how we care about each other on and off the court. Last year was tough because of COVID, and we came in this year not wanting to take anything for granted.
“We truly like each other, and I wouldn’t want any other guys in that locker room. This chemistry right now is second to none.”
Explanation needed
Barnes said Monday that the NCAA selection committee should conduct a news conference after the brackets are released to explain the reasoning for where teams are seeded and why some teams get in over others. The Vols entered Tampa projected as an NCAA tournament three seed and stayed there despite the dominant showings.
“It doesn’t look like the tournament helped us,” Barnes said. “If the conference tournaments don’t mean anything and teams that are already slotted to be in the tournament can’t improve their seeding, we should stay at home and let the teams that are trying to get in the tournament fight for that one bid to give our league a chance to get more.”
Odds and ends
Tennessee enters the NCAA tournament with a No. 5 ranking in the Associated Press poll, which matches the 2008 Vols, who defeated American and Butler before losing to Louisville in the Sweet 16. … Michael Schwartz, a Tennessee assistant for the past six seasons and the associate head coach for the past three, is expected to be named East Carolina’s head coach.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.