Vols face defensive challenge
COLUMBUS, Ohio — When you get to March and you have played 35 times, the thought is that you have seen just about everything a college basketball team could offer.
But when Tennessee takes on Iowa Sunday afternoon at Nationwide Arena there will be a true feeling things out process for the men in orange when they are on defense.
Senior Admiral Schofield said Iowa’s offensive attack is unlike any the Vols have seen this year.
“Not anyone that I can think of,” Schofield said. “They are a pure motion team. There are not a lot of motion teams. We see some actions like that, but they are a pure motion team. Pure motion being full court. Their break is different. We haven’t seen a break like that before. It’s going to come down to communication and competing.”
Added senior Kyle Alexander, “They don’t ever stop. They have a system where anybody can run any spot in the break. They set random screens. Just being on edge and being ready to guard at all times.”
The Hawkeyes come in averaging 78 points a game. They shoot 37 percent from the 3-point line and 46 percent from the field overall.
Tennessee hasn’t held an opponent under 70 points in its last five games and in four of those five its opponent has scored 76 points or more.
Iowa has four different players who made at least four 3-pointers in 20 games this season. In their win over Cincinnati on Friday, the Hawkeyes shot 50 percent from the 3-point line.
Tennessee has given up 30 triples in 69 attempts the last two games. Obviously, guarding the 3-point line is a priority Sunday afternoon. To do that, junior Jordan Bone said you have to apply as much on-ball pressure as you can.
“It’s just random movement,” Bone said. “Walk-away screens, pin downs, random ball screens. Defensively we just have to be on edge. We realize that they are going to make plays. They are going to hit tough shots. Our job is to make them as uncomfortable as possible and apply pressure when we can.”
Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery said that Tennessee’s speed and ability to play multiple styles presents plenty of issues for his team.
“When you look at Tennessee, they’ve got tremendous team speed,” McCaffery said. “They’re sick. But they also can throw the ball inside. They also have 3-point shooting. That’s why they have the record that they have.”
Both teams will spent the remainder of Saturday studying film, finalizing a game plan, and a scouting report for what Schofield says will ultimately come down to just ball.
“They hoop. We hoop. It’s going to come down to who wants it more,” Schofield said. “We are going to be ready to ball.
“At the end of the day, that’s what it comes down to in March. You just gotta go play basketball. We only have a day to prepare for them. Like Ohio State and those teams they see them throughout the year and they have see that. This is our first time playing them since I have been here. It’s going to be new. At the end of the day it’s going to come down to competing. They are going to hit shots and we are going to hit shots.
Who wants it’s more is what it’s going to come down to.”