Whether Tennessee senior forward Josiah-Jordan James has played too much or not enough this basketball season depends on the individual.
South Carolina first-year coach Lamont Paris has seen plenty of the 6-foot-6, 224-pounder, who scored 18 points in 21 minutes Saturday night as the No. 11 Volunteers blistered the Gamecocks 85-45 inside Thompson-Boling Arena. James has played in only 17 of 29 games during Tennessee's 21-8 season, but he is 6-of-12 from 3-point range in two thumpings of South Carolina.
"I think he makes everything when he plays us," Paris said after enduring a second lopsided loss to the Vols. "Sometimes a guy can have a matchup like that, and maybe it's because he's from the state of South Carolina. I don't know what it is, but he made a lot of shots and is a really good player. He's one of those players who is very skilled and makes shots but is also strong physically.
"He can play in a lot of different ways and can adjust to how a game is being called, whether it's tighter or a lot more physical like it was tonight."
James has endured three stretches of multiple-game absences since November, with the first two the result of knee soreness stemming from an offseason procedure. His troubles seemed over when the former five-star signee from Charleston played the first 11 games of this calendar year, but he sprained his ankle during the second half of the Feb. 8 loss at Vanderbilt and missed the next four contests.
Just 14 seconds after entering Saturday's game, James connected on what would be the first of four 3-pointers.
"We're all happy for Josiah, and we know what he means to our program," Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said. "He was terrific, and his presence has such a major impact on the team, because he's been in so many big opportunities and big-game situations, and I think his presence takes a lot of pressure off of guys.
"He gives his teammates a sense of comfort, and when he got out on the floor tonight, he was terrific and played with great poise."
The 18-point performance matched the second-highest output of the season for James, yet one night against a rebuilding program doesn't exactly erase all the difficult times the past few weeks provided.
"It's been tough," James said. "It's my senior year, and I've put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into my time here. I never could have imagined my senior year having gone like this, but everything happens for a reason, and I'm still trying to get the most out of each day to get better, even though it's limited work that I'm able to do."
James admitted he isn't back at 100% but felt like he could contribute, which was welcomed by his teammates and Barnes given that senior guard Tyreke Key (ankle) and freshman forward Julian Phillips (hip flexor) sat out.
"He's a huge part of the lineup, because we know what he brings to basketball games," sophomore point guard Zakai Zeigler said. "He doesn't have to score the ball a whole bunch, and you can be the best player without scoring. We know that's a big part, and when we do have him, that's a huge plus for us."
James thanked everyone who spends time in Thompson-Boling for supporting him when he can't compete, and he explained how he combats the frustration when he's away from the building.
"I still do my yoga," James said. "That keeps me sane. I try to get at least one class in a day. My teammates see me doing it in the locker room, and I do it at home. My teammates come over to my apartment. We hang out. We chill. We watch movies. I actually have two cats now, Kiko and Simon, and they keep me busy, so I do a lot."
Said Zeigler: "His cats have kept me away from his place. I'm not a big cat guy."
Tennessee will play its final home game of the season Tuesday night (9 on ESPN2) against Arkansas.
Record routs
With Tennessee having swept South Carolina by scores of 85-42 and 85-45, the Vols became the first SEC team since the 1953-54 Kentucky Wildcats to win at least two league games by 40 points or more. Kentucky went 25-0 that season and racked up five such wins against Georgia Tech (twice), Tulane, Georgia and Florida.
The Vols also set a single-season program record Saturday with their 12th triumph by 20 or more points.
Odds and ends
Zeigler notched his fifth career game with double-digit points and assists, tying the program record set by Rodney Woods from 1972-75. ... Tennessee's four turnovers against the Gamecocks are the fewest by the Vols in the Barnes era, which began with the 2015-16 season. ... The Vols lead the nation with 12 games of holding their opponents to 50 points or fewer.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com.