University of Tennessee Athletics
The @Vol_Hoops Report: Dec. 9
December 09, 2014 | Men's Basketball
The Tennessee basketball team looks to preserve its unblemished home record Sunday when it plays host to 15th-ranked Butler at Thompson-Boling Arena.
Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. ET, and the game will be televised nationally on ESPNU.
The Volunteers (3-3) already have posted home victories over Texas Southern and Kansas State this season. Dating to last year, the Big Orange own a five-game win streak on Rocky Top.
Butler (8-1) marks the third Tennessee opponent this season to be ranked among the AP's top-15 teams at the time of tipoff. The Vols previously met then-15th-ranked VCU and then-11th-ranked Kansas on neutral courts.
"It's a great opportunity," junior guard Kevin Punter said of Tennessee's high strength-of-schedule. "We're being challenged during non-conference games. I feel like a lot of teams aren't really being challenged during non-conference, but we are, which is good for us because we're young. Put us through the fire early... why not?"
The last time the Vols faced three AP top-15 opponents in the first seven games of a season was the 1992-93 campaign, when head coach Wade Houston's Vols lost to No. 6 Seton Hall, defeated No. 8 Memphis State and then fell to No. 15 Syracuse.
Entering the Butler game, Tennessee's non-conference strength-of-schedule was rated 54th nationally according to college basketball statistical analyst Ken Pomeroy.
FAN-FUELED DEFENSE
Tennessee enters Sunday's game off arguably its most impressive defensive performance in several years. Head coach Donnie Tyndall believes playing in front of the home fans at Thompson-Boling Arena was a big reason for his team's potency.
The Vols held Kansas State without a field goal for a span of 11:27 in the first half of last Saturday's win. During that stretch, the Wildcats shot 0-for-6 from the floor and committed eight turnovers.
K-State's 22 turnovers were the most by a UT opponent since 2009, and Tennessee set season-highs for steals (12) and blocks (9).
"Anytime you have a chance to play on your home floor, that's obviously beneficial," Tyndall said. "The crowd was great. They gave us that extra energy that makes our press a little bit more active. That was part of it. You're press is always a little bit better at home."
On several occasions during home games this season, Tyndall has gestured to the fans to get up, imploring them to serve as a sixth man during key defensive stands. He hopes the crowd continues to respond as the season wears on.
The Vols' attendance for the Kansas State win was 14,111. Punter said he was used to playing in front of crowds closer to 300 in junior college the past two years.
"It's real important to have that crowd on your side and rooting for you," Punter said.
FRESHMEN DEVELOPING ON AND OFF COURT
In Saturday's win against Kansas State, Tariq Owens became the third true freshman to start for the Vols this season, joining Willie Carmichael III and Jabari McGhee.
Tyndall said Owens especially contributed on the defensive end around the rim, using his 6-foot-10 frame to challenge and change Kansas State shots. He collected his second career block in 11 minutes played.
"As you can see, we all know he needs to get stronger and develop his body," Tyndall said. "There's times when he's pushed off the post and settles for an off-balance shot, but he's going to be a good player in due time."
Through six games this season, Tyndall has put together five different starting lineups. Senior Josh Richardson and juniors Armani Moore and Kevin Punter are the only Vols who have started every game, and Carmichael has started five.
Tyndall said the starting lineup for Sunday's game against Butler will be determined through team practice this week. The Vols had a day off Sunday to study for finals before two hard days of training.
"Yesterday and today are what we call `Grind Days,' where we are mostly focused on us and getting better with some long practices," Tyndall said.
The rest of the practice schedule this week includes a day off Wednesday, another hard practice Thursday and then lighter workouts the two days leading up to Sunday's game.
Punter, who wrapped up his last final exam of the fall semester Tuesday, said balancing school and court time is just part of being a student-athlete. Though he had two years to develop time management skills in junior college, he said the freshmen Vols have done well in making the transition during their first finals season.
"For the freshmen, it's new to them, but I think they've been doing a pretty good job of balancing both and coming to practice and producing--not just being there--and also doing good in the classroom," Punter said. "I think everyone is handling it well."
ABOUT BUTLER
Butler is off to an 8-1 start this season under the direction of interim head coach Chris Holtmann. The Bulldogs finished third at the 2014 Battle 4 Atlantis tournament, with wins over North Carolina and Georgetown.
Holtmann, who was the head coach at Gardner-Webb from 2010-13, is filling in for second-year Butler head coach Brandon Miller, who requested and was granted a medical leave of absence in early October.
Butler is ranked 15th in this week's AP poll (up from 23rd last week) and 19th in the coaches' poll.
The Bulldogs lead the Big East Conference in scoring defense (54.2 ppg), scoring margin (+20.0) and 3-point field-goal defense (.253) and rank second in their league in turnover margin (+5.89).
During a 93-51 rout of Kennesaw State Monday night, versatile Butler junior Roosevelt Jones totaled 19 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in just 29 minutes of action. Jones missed all of last season with a wrist injury after starting every game as a sophomore in 2013-13.
"(Roosevelt Jones) is a fantastic player," Tyndall said. "He has certainly made a difference in their team."
Tyndall also points to Butler's consistency and brand of basketball as something to be emulated.
"Their system, their style of play, their experience (is consistent) from year to year," Tyndall said. "They may be the same team with different names and faces--but they're the same type of guys. They're well-coached and disciplined and they're much more physical than maybe you would think they are.
"They've beaten some great teams already, and they're certainly a top-15 team for a reason."
Butler is led in scoring by junior guard Kellen Dunham, who averages 11.1 points per game and is shooting .477 from 3-point range.
Tennessee trails its all-time series with Butler 2-1, dating to 1958. The Vols won the most recent meeting 76-71, in overtime, in the second round of the 2008 NCAA Tournament in Birmingham, Ala.
Tennessee and Butler are two of only 13 programs in the nation to make at least four NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearances in the last eight seasons. The Bulldogs made consecutive national championship game appearances in 2010 and 2011, falling to Duke and UConn, respectively.
To complete this two-game, home-and-home contract, UT will play at Butler's historic Hinkle Fieldhouse on Dec. 12, 2015, in Indianapolis, Ind.
SUNDAY PROMOTIONS
Sunday's Butler contest is one of several games this season for which the new "$2 Eat Seat" is available. For $15, fans get a ticket and a wristband that allows them to purchase as many concession items as they'd like throughout the game for just $2 each.
The $2 Eat Seat also is available for the Texas A&M ($20) and Mississippi State ($20) games later this season.
Sunday's game is also part of UT's "Holiday Ticket Pack."For $30 in the 300 level or $60 in the 100 level, fans can pick three of Tennessee's five holiday games (Butler, Tennessee Tech, Mercer, Tennessee State and East Tennessee State) and receive a "Tacky Holiday Sweater" T-shirt.
For more information, or to purchase single-game tickets or mini-packs, call 1-800-332-8657, log on to www.UTtix.com or stop by the UT Ticket Office at Thompson-Boling Arena.
For the most up-to-date information about the Tennessee basketball program, visit UTsports.com/basketball and follow @Vol_Hoops on Twitter and Instagram.
