During this SEC streak, we havent really played anybody other than Kentucky. To us, and within SEC circles, it's a big deal, because it shot us into the top 4 teams, but nationally, they still aren't holding their breath on the Vols. Vandy twice, Florida (at home), LSU (at home), SC, Miss State, Texas A&M (at home), Kentucky (at home).
The streak has been very telling at multiple intervals to anyone paying attention:
- 1/22: Can they still beat a halfway decent basketball team? Vols 64 LSU 50
- 2/1: Can they beat a meh team who is athletic and been hot? Vols 90 A&M 80
- Can they take care of teams they should beat no matter where they play? Yes yes and yes. The Vandys and SCs of the world. Florida too.
- 1/29: Can you beat a ranked team on the road? Texas 52 Vols 51. We all know how that one went and that a switch of sorts flipped in the last 10 minutes of the game.
Now we level up:
- 2/9: Can they get a lower tier Quad 1 win on the road? Vols 72 Ms State 63
- 2/15: Can they still beat an elite, top 5 caliber team at home? Vols 76 UK 63
- 2/19: I ask again, can they beat a ranked team on the road? Arkansas is every bit as hot as Tennessee and are nearly impossible to beat at their place, like we are to get beat at ours. National media loves Musselman. They just knocked off #1. You win this one, and people will start to throw respect Tennessee's way.
Huge opportunity for the growth and development of this team, as well as next year's. If we have any prayer of backing our way into the SEC reg season championship, we have to win this game and win out the regular season. Auburn will have to slip up one more time (in addition to losing to us). I think we take care of business in our home games and avoid a slip up on the road vs bad teams like UGA and Miz.
Do this...win 1 or 2 in the SECT...I think we end up with a 2 seed.
The streak has been very telling at multiple intervals to anyone paying attention:
- 1/22: Can they still beat a halfway decent basketball team? Vols 64 LSU 50
- 2/1: Can they beat a meh team who is athletic and been hot? Vols 90 A&M 80
- Can they take care of teams they should beat no matter where they play? Yes yes and yes. The Vandys and SCs of the world. Florida too.
- 1/29: Can you beat a ranked team on the road? Texas 52 Vols 51. We all know how that one went and that a switch of sorts flipped in the last 10 minutes of the game.
Now we level up:
- 2/9: Can they get a lower tier Quad 1 win on the road? Vols 72 Ms State 63
- 2/15: Can they still beat an elite, top 5 caliber team at home? Vols 76 UK 63
- 2/19: I ask again, can they beat a ranked team on the road? Arkansas is every bit as hot as Tennessee and are nearly impossible to beat at their place, like we are to get beat at ours. National media loves Musselman. They just knocked off #1. You win this one, and people will start to throw respect Tennessee's way.
Huge opportunity for the growth and development of this team, as well as next year's. If we have any prayer of backing our way into the SEC reg season championship, we have to win this game and win out the regular season. Auburn will have to slip up one more time (in addition to losing to us). I think we take care of business in our home games and avoid a slip up on the road vs bad teams like UGA and Miz.
Do this...win 1 or 2 in the SECT...I think we end up with a 2 seed.
