Tennessee forward Tariq Owens (11) blocks a layup by Tennessee Tech forward Dennis Ogbe (33) during their game on Dec. 19, 2014, in Knoxville.KNOXVILLE — On a roster with more experience, more size and more health, Tariq Owens probably is spending his freshman season living in the weight room, eating as much as he can and taking a redshirt.
Tennessee instead needs the spindly freshman to give it some minutes in the frontcourt.
The 6-foot-10, 205-pound Owens played 11 minutes for a second consecutive game as the Volunteers beat Auburn 71-63 on Saturday afternoon and appears to be carving out an increased role for Tennessee.
Sure, Owens scored just two points, missed his only shot attempt and had as many technical fouls as rebounds against the Tigers, but the Vols outscored Auburn by 16 points when he was on the floor.
“He’s just getting better,” first-year Tennessee coach Donnie Tyndall said after the win. “We threw him in there against Arkansas, and he played, I think, nine, 10 or 11 minutes in that game and did some good things. He’s obviously a guy that needs to get stronger, but he’s not soft. He’s not a soft kid at all. He’s just light. He’ll get in there and try to bang.
“If you’ll remember, one time in the first half he did a great job of fronting the post, and they turned it over. It was a nice play. He makes both his free throws when he gets fouled. He’s just getting better.”
Owens, a former Ohio signee out of Maryland who was one of the last additions to Tennessee’s patchwork recruiting class, played 11 minutes at Arkansas last Tuesday, had three rebounds and drew a charge.
After not playing in four games this season, including the loss to Texas A&M a week ago, Saturday was only the fifth time this season Owens played double-digit minutes, and he scored his first points since Tennessee won at Mississippi State in its SEC opener.
“He’s never hung his head about not playing, which is a tribute to him,” Tyndall said. “He just grinds every day in practice. I’ve had guys at the beginning of the year not check in, and they hit game-winning shots to go to the NCAA tournament. I’ve had guys start early in the year, but by the time you go to the NCAA tournament, they’re not checking in.
“He’s stayed the course, and it looks like he’s going to get better and better.”
Owens’s best trait is his shot-blocking ability, but his frail frame make it difficult for him at times in regard to rebounding and playing post defense.
“Tariq Owens came in tonight and played some good minutes,” forward Armani Moore said. “Obviously he’s a little undersized, but like I always tell our team, you might not be the strongest out there, but just go out and compete. What you can’t do, we as a team can make up for that.”
During Saturday’s win, Owens held his own against Auburn’s Cinmeon Bowers, the SEC’s leading rebounder who outweighs the freshman by nearly 70 pounds.
He was whistled for a technical foul after jawing with Bowers in the second half, and that will certainly be a learning moment.
“If you guys notice, I’ve learned to do this when I talk,” Tyndall said while covering his mouth with his hand. “We talked endlessly three days before in the scout — it was literally part of our scouting report — that, look, Bowers is an intense guy.
“He’ll create some drama, if you will. He’s a great player, but he’s going to be emotional and you can’t get caught up in any of that stuff. For the most part, other than that one instance, we did a pretty good job.”
Moore and Derek Reese are the starting forwards for the Vols, whose frontcourt took a hit when freshman Jabari McGhee underwent foot surgery in December, and Willie Carmichael and Owens, two lanky freshmen with upside despite their inexperience and first-year struggles, have to give the Vols depth down low.
“Most of the time when you see long, lanky guys, all they want to do is dunk the ball all the time and block shots,” Moore said. “Tariq has really come a long way. I think in the weight room this week, he stepped up his bench (press) max a couple of pounds. I feel like he’s really one of those guys who, by the time he leaves, is going to be very talented.”
Contact Patrick Brown at pbrown@timesfreepress.com.