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February 23, 2013
Quick takes on a monumental win
Rob Lewis
VolQuest.com Tennessee (16-10, 8-6) extended its winning streak to five in a row this afternoon with an incredible four overtime win on the road at Texas A&M. The Vols were pushed to the brink before pulling away late in for a 93-85 win in the longest game in school history.
The win sets up up an enormous showdown with No. 5 Florida in Knoxville on Tuesday night.
It's hard not to pinpoint today's win as the most electrifying of the brief Cuonzo Martin era given the stakes. The Vols are entered the day on the very fringes of NCAA tournament discussion. A loss would have almost certainly ended that conversation for all but the most die hard optimists.
A win like the one the Vols pulled off today though can make believers out of even the most die hard skeptics. And the bandwagon could be a crowded location by the time the Gators arrive in Knoxville for a nationally televised contest on Tuesday night.
Here's three quick things that jumped out from today that helped keep the Vols' alive, and make me think they've got something left in the tank.
1) Intangibles -- This covers a lot of ground, but Tennessee wouldn't have won this one without displaying several traits that don't show up in the box score.
First and foremost, for a team that made a an early season habit out of falling apart in close games on the road showed some impressive resiliency in this one. That was certainly true late, as they survived and prevailed in four overtimes, but it was also true early on.
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