Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes reacts to a call in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Vanderbilt on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2018, in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Crystal LoGiudice)KNOXVILLE – Asked Monday about LSU point guard Tremont Waters and big man Duop Reath, Tennessee basketball coach Rick Barnes offered praise for them but made sure he acknowledged the rest of the Tigers’ roster.
“There are not just two guys we have to get ready for,” Barnes said. “There’s a team of guys.”
That would have been more true had Tennessee and LSU played last week, but when the 18th-ranked Volunteers (15-5, 5-3 SEC) host the Tigers Wednesday night at Thompson-Boling Area, the visitors will be short on bodies.
LSU coach Wade suspended four players Monday, leaving the Tigers with just seven scholarship players and two true post players against a Tennessee team that has won six of its last seven games. Sophomore forward Wayde Sims and freshman guard Brandon Rachal are suspended for one game, while freshman forwards Galen Alexander and Mayan Kiir won’t be back this season.
Tennessee forward Grant Williams (2) shoots over Iowa State forward Solomon Young, left, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 27, 2018, in Ames, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
In his first season as LSU men’s basketball coach, former UTC boss Will Wade has guided the Tigers to an 11-4 record and a 2-1 mark in Southeastern Conference play with consecutive road wins at Texas A&M and Arkansas.Behind the 6-foot-11 Reath and fellow frontcourt starter Aaron Epps, who is 6-10, will be a bench full of guards.
“We will figure that out,” Wade said.
The former UT-Chattanooga coach suggested that the Tigers may employ a small lineup. There won’t be much choice if Reath or Epps gets in foul trouble.
“Teams have to guard you if you play small,” Wade said. “That’s on me as a coach to figure that out. We will put a plan together and do as best as we can.”
All four of the suspended LSU players appeared in LSU’s 95-70 loss to Auburn on Saturday, but none of the four are starters. Sims is averaging 5.7 points and three rebounds while Rachal is averaging 4.3 points and 2.7 rebounds. Alexander and Kiir were not regular members of the playing rotation but provided the frontcourt depth that will be missing against Tennessee.
Wade suggested that LSU’s trouble defending Auburn’s DeSean Murray could mean that Tennessee forward Grant Williams will present a matchup problem. Murray is an undersized forward, like Williams, and he scored 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting in the Auburn win over LSU on Saturday.
Williams leads Tennessee with 16.2 points per game.
“We couldn’t guard Desean Murray, and Grant Williams is just as good if not better than Desean Murray,” Wade said. “It is the same deal. If we don’t improve in some areas, then it is going to be tough sledding Wednesday night.”
The suspension won’t change that LSU’s offense runs through Waters and Reath. They average a combined 29.3 points per game.
“I think they’ve got a pretty good punch there,” Barnes said. “They’re capable and we know that.”
Impressed with Wade
Wade was the UTC coach from 2013 to 2015. It was his first head coaching gig after getting his coaching start as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, Clemson, in 2005. Wade worked there under Larry Shyatt, who had been an assistant under Barnes when Barnes coached at Clemson in the 1990s.
“In this business, we all know each other someway somehow,” Barnes said. “Will had done a good job, and I’m not surprised. I think he’s done a good job at LSU. I don’t think there’s any question that he’s gone in there really quickly and has done some good things there and created excitement and enthusiasm.”
Contact David Cobb at dcobb@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @DavidWCobb and on Facebook at facebook.com/volsupdate.
Contact David Cobb at dcobb@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @DavidWCobb and on Facebook at facebook.com/volsupdate.