Dec. 10, 2015

By Brian Rice
UTSports.com

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Rick Barnes had an easy explanation Thursday for Tennessee’s shot blocking prowess this season.

MORE FROM THE VOLS

Everything you need to know as the Vols take on #18 Butler on Saturday from historic Hinkle Fieldhouse. ...Read more

Rick Barnes

(On Robert Hubbs III’s progress since Dec. 1 arthroscopic knee surgery)

“He won’t play for this game (at Butler). I think he’s making good progress, but he’s not going to be ready for this one… The tough part here is that we would have loved to have had Robert this last week and a half so we could have really started getting close to what we want to do (in some of our schemes). But it has allowed some other guys to have those reps, and hopefully they’re going to benefit from it. Hopefully (Robert) will be back before Christmas and can play a game or two (before we start SEC play).”

(On defending dribble penetration)

“I think every team is going to test us until we prove we can stop it. Because they can look at how guys (on teams we’ve faced so far) get inside our defense. That gets us into rotations, and we can’t rebound from that. So we have to work hard on staying in front of the ball. I think every team will not just test our team, but they’re going to test individual guys until we prove that we can guard the ball.”

Armani Moore

(On the team’s 13-day layoff)

“During this down time, I feel like it’s been fun. A we were coming into practice, me and (Kevin Punter Jr.) were talking about it (Wednesday). Coach Barnes has been kind of throwing this guy here, this guy here, just to see how different lineups work. And we actually figured out that a lot of guys can play a different position. I think that’s very fun to have a team like that. It allows KP to slide over to the two, it allows me to slide to the three, and I think (Coach Barnes) has really been trying to focus on ‘what can we do to be successful?’ And I think that’s helped, having these two weeks off.”

(On the “freedom of movement” rules being enforced this season)

“I feel like it’s an advantage for the offensive players, obviously, because you can be more aggressive. Guys can’t hand-check. Any little block, they’re calling it nowadays. That allows guys to get to the free-throw line. Once you’ve got five guys on a team shooting five free throws a game, that’s the possibility of 25 points you can put on the board. It’s definitely been a big change. I think that’s a reason why more points are being scored.”

“Just great coaching,” the Vols' head coach said with a wry smile.

If there is a surprising stat that has popped off of the Volunteers’ season box score it is in the shots blocked category. Tennessee has blocked 43 shots through seven games, good for 17th nationally.

Those are numbers that would be impressive for any college basketball team, but for a team whose primary concern entering the season was a lack of size down low, it’s downright remarkable.

“There are just certain things in this game that don’t make any sense,” Barnes said. “I look at that and I can’t put a finger on it other than Armani [Moore] loves going in there and going at it.”

The 43 blocks through seven games are the most for a Tennessee team since the 1999-00 Vols blocked 49. That squad included all-time leading shot blocker C.J. Black and Isiah Victor, who is fifth on the all-time list. In the time since, just one UT team has blocked more than 40 shots in its first seven games, 42 in 2003-04.

Moore has been the catalyst, the Vols' leader in the category with 17. Derek Reese is next with seven. Detrick Mostella is the only player on UT’s roster without a block.

“It’s not something we even emphasize,” Barnes said. “We’re more into getting into position and trying to stay between the ball and the basket. Some of it is hustle plays where guys have gone in. Armani is the guy that has done a great job with it. It would be good if we could continue to do it.”

Moore does not think of himself as a shot blocker, but the effort he gives on the court has put him in a position to accumulate his team-leading numbers. The senior also leads the way in rebounds with 55, 43 of those coming on the defensive end. His 25 assists are another team best and he ranks second in scoring with 15.6 points per game.

Those numbers are not a measuring stick for Moore. To him, they are just the result of going hard for every moment that he is on the court.

“It just comes down to playing hard,” Moore said. “I’m not necessarily the tallest guy, but it’s all about being competitive and trying to do whatever you can to win the game. I think that kind of makes up for our lack of height, you just have to have a will to do what you want to do.”

Assistant coach Chris Ogden sees the same from the senior leader.

“His is all effort,” Ogden said. “He doesn’t jump above the rim, he’s not long, all of his blocks are timing and effort. Armani will compete, that’s why he blocks shots.”

Though easy to find reasons for Moore’s success, Ogden has yet to find a basketball reason to explain the other 26 blocks the Vols have registered.

“I have no idea, because I’m shocked about it,” he said. “Today was the first I heard about it. I didn’t think we were a shot blocking team, but we’ll take it wherever we can get it.”

BUTLER TO POSE BIG CHALLENGES

Butler enters Saturday’s showdown at historic Hinkle Fieldhouse boasting an 7-1 record and riding a four-game win streak.

While the Vols last played on Nov. 28, the Bulldogs have posted four wins since that date—defeating SIU Edwardsville, Cincinnati, Indiana State and VMI.

Under the direction of second-year head coach Chris Holtmann, Butler is a perfect 4-0 at home this season. The Bulldogs are ranked 18th in this week’s AP top-25 poll and 21st in the current coaches’ poll.

“They’re a team that has some key guys back, and they have their system intact,” Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes said. “They know what they want to get done. They’re a very good team and obviously well coached.”

Butler ranks third in the nation in scoring offense, averaging 91.4 points per game. In a Nov. 14 thrashing of The Citadel, the Bulldogs scored a school-record 144 points.

“That will help your numbers,” Barnes said of Butler’s offensive eruption last month. “They’re really cohesive in what they’re trying to get done, and they’re capable of scoring the ball. They’ll have a lot of chances in our game, because we’re going to play fast.”

Individually, the Bulldogs are led by a pair of preseason All-Big East selections in senior guard Kellen Dunham (20.0 ppg, .436 3FG%) and senior swingman Roosevelt Jones (12.1 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 4.9 apg).

Jones, much like Tennessee senior Armani Moore, is an incredibly versatile stat-sheet-stuffer with a knack for making winning plays.

“Based off what I know from last year, Roosevelt basically makes everything go for them,” Moore said. “With a guy like him, you don’t really crowd him too much. You’ve got to try to contain him and make sure that he’s not getting into the cracks and making plays for other people. I think that’s one of the things he does best.”

In Tennessee’s 67-55 win over the 15th-ranked Bulldogs last season in Knoxville, much of the Vols success was a result of neutralizing Jones, who finished with six points on 2-for-9 shooting.

Dunham, meanwhile, is the top returning scorer in the Big East. His .515 field goal percentage—including a .436 mark from 3-point range—on 12.4 shot attempts per game showcases his impressive offensive efficiency.

With Dunham leading the way, the Bulldogs rank seventh in the country in team field-goal percentage (.520). He was Butler’s top performer when the Vols hosted the Bulldogs a season ago, finishing with a team-high 16 points.

In addition to ranking among the national leaders in scoring and field-goal percentage, Butler also stands among the top 30 in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.63, 14th), fewest turnovers per game (10.1, 12th) and rebound margin (+8.9, 30th).

“They will present a lot of problems because they’ve got so much they do on the offensive end,” Barnes said. “And they do a great job of reading what you’re doing with them.”

Complementing Jones and Dunham, sophomore forward Kelan Martin and junior forward Andrew Chrabascz also average double-digit scoring for Butler, adding 13.5 and 13.0 point per game, respectively.

Saturday’s game will be televised nationally on FOX Sports 1, with Tim Brando calling the play-by-play and three-time NBA Champion Dickey Simpkins providing analysis. Simpkins played collegiately under Barnes at Providence.

VOLS NEED 'EVERYBODY' TO FILL HUBBS' ABSENCE

With Robert Hubbs III officially ruled out of Saturday's contest against the 18th-ranked Bulldogs, the Vols are focusing on a team-wide effort to compensate for the absence of a player who had scored in double figures in 10 of UT's last 11 contests dating back to last season.

"I think as a group, everybody," Barnes said when asked what player he might look to in order to fill Hubbs' role. But that effort may begin inside as Barnes continued to stress his team's need for interior scoring.

"We've got to get some inside scoring from someplace other than just throwing the ball into Armani (Moore) and letting him get double-teamed," he said. "We need Kyle (Alexander), Ray (Kasongo), and certainly Derek Reese to get in there and give us something. We need to get something out of those guys around the rim."

Alexander and Kasongo, in particular, are coming off positive outings during the Barclays Center Classic in New York. But those performances came almost two weeks ago, forcing the duo of newcomers to maintain that positive momentum throughout a series of physical practices. Admiral Schofield is another bench player that has shown a capability of carrying some of the scoring load, having dropped a career-high 12 points against Nebraska on Nov. 28, and freshman Shembari Phillips continues to display athleticism and offensive instinct at the guard spot.

"We'd like to be able to build on what Kyle and what Admiral did in New York and some of those guys like Shembari," said Barnes. "I thought Shembari had his best practice (this week) and you'd like to see those guys continue to bring something to us that we can count on every single night. But until Robert gets back it's going to take everybody."

Hubbs' absence could also shift even greater scoring pressure to senior Kevin Punter Jr., who is averaging 22.3 points per game from the point guard position. Punter has scored 20-plus points in each of his last four games and his steadying presence for the Vols has resulted in a minutes per game average of 34.6 -- the second-highest clip in the league. Punter's offensive efficiency, combined with his usage rate, suggest the Vols could ill-afford to see his time limited by foul trouble.

"He's put a lot of time in," Barnes said of his point guard. "I think it's going to get more difficult, as you would expect, as the season goes on. People are going to make a conscious effort to make him guard. I'm sure, playing the point, he's going to have to continue to get much better against ball screens. I think you go back to our game against GW where he got in early foul trouble. That obviously changes us a little bit so as coaches we're going to have to help protect him some."

FANS CAN GET “ROWDY” FOR SEC OPENER

General Tennessee basketball fans have a unique opportunity to be part of the student experience in Thompson-Boling Arena for the Vols’ SEC opener against Florida on Jan 6 (7 p.m. ET). With UT students still on winter break, Big Orange fans can join the boisterous and bellowing Rocky Top Rowdies student section along the west baseline when the rival Gators visit Knoxville.

Fans who purchase the “Rowdy for a Game” package, for a special price of $30, will receive a ticket for a seat in Section 129, home of the Rocky Top Rowdies, as well as a Rocky Top Rowdies starter kit that includes: a Rocky Top Rowdies t-shirt, an orange & white spirit shaker, a mini replica stress ball of UT’s iconic landmark “The Rock,” an exclusive Rocky Top Rowdy credential and a “How to be a Rowdy” Info card.

Fans also have the opportunity to request a free printable certificate if ordering the package as a gift (a great stocking-stuffer option this holiday season).

Chairs will be present in Section 129 for fans wishing to sit, though rowdiness, standing and cheering will be highly encouraged. Participants will have the opportunity to take part in exclusive Rocky Top Rowdies activities–including manning “Big Heads” and distraction devices, wearing provided costumes, tossing newspaper, learning Rowdy traditions and being an integral part of the atmosphere in Thompson-Boling Arena by partaking in Rowdy Shenanigans.

Space is limited. To purchase a “Rowdy for a Game” package, click here. For more information, please call 865-974-1734.