University of Tennessee Athletics
The @Vol_Hoops Report: Dec. 30
December 30, 2014 | Men's Basketball
As the Tennessee basketball team takes the court against ETSU Wednesday afternoon for its final non-conference clash of the season, the Volunteers will be looking to preserve their unblemished home record while ending the calendar year on a winning note.
Tipoff for Wednesday's game against the Buccaneers (6-3) is set for 1:02 p.m. ET on the SEC Network. Tickets remain available
The Big Orange (7-4) are a perfect 6-0 at Thompson-Boling Arena this year and have won nine straight games on Rocky Top dating to last season.
First-year Tennessee head coach Donnie Tyndall has led his teams to 20 consecutive regular-season victories over non-conference opponents. That streak dates back to a one-point loss to South Dakota when Tyndall was the head coach at Morehead State Dec. 10, 2011.
Tyndall's Vols haven't been the only team to reap the benefits of playing in the friendly confines of Thompson-Boling Arena this season. The Lady Vols also are unbeaten at home, racking up an 8-0 record on the court named for legendary women's head coach Pat Summitt. In addition to their combined 14-0 home mark, Tennessee's men's and women's teams each have knocked off at least one top-15 opponent at Thompson-Boling Arena.
One statistic to which Tyndall can partially attribute UT's home success is his team's turnover margin, which stands at +5.7 through six games at Thompson-Boling Arena.
A Vols win over ETSU Wednesday would give Tennessee its first undefeated home non-conference record since the 2009-10 campaign.
ABOUT ETSU
The Buccaneers are 6-3 (1-1 SoCon) in their 13th season under head coach Murry Bartow.
ETSU is 3-2 in true road games this season, winning at Winthrop, Morehead State and Eastern Kentucky. Their two road losses came at Valparaiso and at VCU.
The Bucs are led by senior guards Jalen Riley (19.8 ppg) and Rashawn Rembert (17.0 ppg). Riley is the second-leading scorer in the entire Southern Conference.
"It's going to be a tough challenge," Tyndall said. "Of this four-game homestand, we felt like it was imperative to win all four games. We're on target to do that, but this was the best team of the group.
"That's no knock on the other three teams, but they are I believe second in country in made 3-point attempts per game. They're going to space the floor, they're going to play four guards and we're going to have to do a great job guarding the 3-point line."
Tyndall said the Vols will need to extend their zone to defend against 3-pointers . The Bucs have averaged 11.9 3-pointers per game this season and have shot 41.2 percent from long range.
"Earlier in the year when we were trying to extend our zone, we were having a problem closing out and guarding the dribble and keeping people out of the paint without fouling," Tyndall said.
ETSU junior forward Lester Wilson is a Knoxville, Tenn., native who graduated from Carter High School.
The Volunteers lead the all-time series with ETSU 13-2, dating to 1945. Each of the last nine meetings have taken place in Knoxville.
GETTING "GAPS"
Tyndall and his Tennessee coaching staff set several goals for the Vols entering each game. Sometimes those goals are opponent-specific, and some are consistent from game to game.
"Each game we have goals we want to make," junior forward Derek Reese said. "One of our goals is to have eight gaps. A gap is not allowing a team to score three times--three straight possessions. That's one gap. If you can get eight gaps (in a game), you're going to win."
An example of one "gap" would be forcing an opponent to miss field-goal attempts on three consecutive possessions, with each of those possessions ending with a defensive rebound.
"We haven't gotten there yet," Reese said. "Our closest was six gaps, and we won the game (against Butler)."
When the Vols do finally reach their eight-gap goal, their opponent in that particular game will have seen at least 24 of its possessions result in either a turnover or a missed shot and defensive rebound.
Tennessee's opponents this year are averaging 67.7 possessions per 40 minutes.
"If we get eight gaps, we'd never lose," sophomore guard Robert Hubbs said.
HUBBS' ALL-AROUND DAY
Not only did sophomore Robert Hubbs III reach double digits in scoring for the first time this season in Saturday's victory over Tennessee State, he also posted career highs in rebounds and assists.
Hubbs scored 11 points on a career-high three 3-pointers and 4-of-7 shooting from the floor. During his 24 minutes on court, he also had personal-best five rebounds and three assists in addition to recording his first block of the season.
Tyndall said being highly active in other areas of the game had a direct correlation for Hubbs' improved scoring night.
"When you get your hands on balls and get deflections that lead to steals or you rebound the ball and are active defensively in our press, all those things get you caught up in the game and get you playing with a little more swagger and a little more confidence," Tyndall said. "That's exactly what happened with Robert the other night."
Hubbs told reporters Tuesday that he has recently been focusing on finding multiple ways to impact games.
"It's a big factor for me," Hubbs said. "Because if I don't score, what other way am I contributing to my team? Rebounding and getting other people involved is another way to help my team win."
