'The best version' of Robert Hubbs powering Vols' surge

Tennessee guard Robert Hubbs III (3) goes for a shot past Kentucky forward Wenyen Gabriel (32) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2017, in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
Tennessee guard Robert Hubbs III (3) goes for a shot past Kentucky forward Wenyen Gabriel (32) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2017, in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

KNOXVILLE - Robert Hubbs III's role in the outstanding week for Tennessee's men's basketball program did not go unnoticed by the Southeastern Conference.

The senior was named the league's player of the week Monday after he scored 25 points in an upset of Kentucky and chipped in 10 against Kansas State as the Volunteers grabbed two marquee wins in the span of four days.

Hubbs, Tennessee's leading scorer at 15 points per game, averaged 18 points and 6.3 rebounds during the three-game win streak the Vols are taking to Auburn tonight.

"I'm excited for Robert," Vols coach Rick Barnes said Monday. "Starting at the end of last year, he put as much time and he's done everything that we could ask him to possibly do as a senior. He's done everything. He's had to fight through a lot.

"You guys know he's had to deal with injuries throughout his career, but he continues to fight through it and it really bothers him now if he's not able to go full speed. He doesn't want to miss practice. He wants to be out there. We're all happy for him, and he's a very humble, kind person. He deserved it. What we've done this week, he had a lot to do with that."

If Tennessee continues its momentum and makes a serious charge at making the NCAA tournament, Hubbs also will be a key part as both the best player and primary leader on a team of freshmen and sophomores.

The former five-star recruit finally appears to be living up to the lofty billing with which he came to Tennessee, and he's playing his best basketball in his final season. His scoring is up by more than four points per game, and he's shooting 52 percent from the field, the fourth-best mark in the SEC. As a junior last season Hubbs made 45.2 percent of his shots.

Hubbs has five 20-point games this season, and he's led the Vols in scoring eight times after leading the team in scoring just four times in his first three seasons.

Teammate Admiral Schofield said winning and losing now means "10 times more" to Hubbs because it's his final season.

"This is the best version of Robert Hubbs this season I've ever seen," Schofield said after Hubbs' 25-point gem against Kentucky. "He's the most healthy and the most lively. He's really trying. He's really, really trying, and Coach Barnes has been on him from day one since I've been here. It's amazing to see how he's developed under him.

"I just hope he can stay consistent like he is and continue to be the leader he is and stays healthy and just continues to play at a high level. We know the struggles he deals with, and the biggest thing for us is just to stay behind him and keep his confidence high, and he's been playing well. I'm really happy for him and I'm really proud of him."

Hubbs is thriving by sticking to what he does best. He's taken only 20 3-pointers this season and already matched his free-throw total from last season in nine fewer games. Hubbs is relying on his ability to elevate on his jump shot, and the Vols are getting the ball to him in his favorite spots on the block or in the lane.

"(Assistant) Coach (Rob) Lanier made a great point to our guys yesterday about there's no such thing as overachieving," Barnes said. "If you do soemthing, it's because you're capable of doing it, and I think with Robert, what he's doing right now, he's capable to do it. He could tell you there's more that he can do.

"When you look at him and where he is right now, it's because he's put the time in. You can't do this without passion, without love for the game, and he bought into it. I don't know that it was the easiest thing for him, but he has. Now it's gone beyond him to where, I would tell you, he would give up any of his individual things to win. He wants to win.

"You can hear that in his voice when he's talking to the team and the things that he does. I've seen some guys do it, but right now, because of where we are, I'm as proud of him as any player I've coached, because it's easier to do that when you're younger. When you get older and set in your ways it's a little bit more difficult.

"He has never fought us one step of the way. He's always, 'Yes, sir, Coach,' and he's doing it. I just hope he can finish really, really strong, and I hope we can finish strong for him."

Contact Patrick Brown at pbrown@timesfreepress.com.

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