Elite guard play has long been synonymous with deep NCAA basketball tournament runs.
Tennessee is checking that box right now.
Senior Ja’Kobi Gillespie and sophomore Bishop Boswell have been dazzling for the Volunteers through the first two rounds, which contained last Friday’s 78-56 thumping of Miami University and Sunday night’s 79-72 topping of Virginia inside Philadelphia’s Xfinity Mobile Arena. Next up for Tennessee is a trip to Chicago and a Friday night date (10:10 Eastern on TBS) with Iowa State in the Sweet 16.
“They’ve just been super reliable, and down the stretch especially,” Tennessee freshman forward Nate Ament said Sunday night in a press conference, “but these guys throughout this whole season have been super helpful to me just trying to learn the system and learn college basketball. I can also lean on them when I’m not playing my best or I need a little extra help every day.
“These guys have been tremendous, not only this tournament but throughout the whole season.”