KNOXVILLE – As the season wears on, Tennessee’s basketball Volunteers won’t be able to rely on just their starters for the sort of production needed to make a deep postseason run.
It’s why coach Rick Barnes has been harping on how the Vols need production out of their bench and specifically such players as guards Jordan Bowden and Jalen Johnson and forwards John Fulkerson and Derrick Walker.
Bowden, a former starter, definitely has had his share of good moments in a group that needed to be able to produce until guard Lamonte Turner can get past issues lingering from offseason shoulder surgery, but Barnes has been looking for others to join him.
Fulkerson had his moment Saturday.
The 6-foot-9 sophomore had a career-high 15 points in just 19 minutes in the third-ranked Vols’ 96-53 rout of Tennessee Tech. Eight of those points came on dunks, with a pair coming off steals leading to breakaways. He shot the ball 11 times Saturday and missed only twice – once on seven shots from the field and once on his four free throws.