Watch the Tape: Tennessee Volunteers

Sometimes you get the bear, and sometimes the bear gets you. The Kentucky Wildcats ran into a buzzsaw at Thompson Boling Arena on Tuesday night as the Tennessee Volunteers won their fifth straight game by the score of 76-63. Tennessee came out of the gates hot, shooting nearly 55% from the field in the first half on their way to 46 points. A suffocating defense kept the ‘Cats from getting anything going as well. After the first 10 minutes or so of the game it just felt like the Volunteers night.

There are plenty of places to point the finger after a game like that. National Player of the Year candidate Oscar Tshiebwe was just 5-15 from the field and got exposed defensively. TyTy Washington clearly wasn’t 100% and was only able to play 13 minutes. Countless first half defensive blunders left no margin for error for a sputtering offense. An early sideline dust-up got the opposing arena rocking after a solid start by the ‘Cats. The list could go on and on. However, at the end of the day, the Tennessee Volunteers are a very good basketball team capable of doing what they did to Kentucky on any given night.

Whatever you thought about this Kentucky Basketball team prior to tip-off in Knoxville can still be true as you read this today. The Wildcats got beat handily on Tuesday night, but they still can reach every goal ahead of them. Both can be true at the same time.

Enough talk, it is time to step inside the KSR Film Room and take a look at what led to last night’s ugly defeat. Some early defensive miscues set the tone for a poor first half performance. Also, Oscar Tshiebwe took a step back in terms of his defensive execution while his teammates got lost guarding shooters far too often. Let’s breakdown the tape from the ‘Cats disappointing loss to the Tennessee Volunteers.

Early Defensive Miscues Set the Tone

These first three clips all take place when Kentucky was still completely in the basketball game. Early on, the offense was putting points on the board to cover up some of the defensive issues. That has been a major positive for the Wildcats all season long. Their ability to just keep scoring has given the defense some margin for error. Unfortunately, that was not the case Tuesday night at Tennessee. Giving up these types of baskets is how you end up allowing 46 points in a half and having too big of a hole to climb out of.

This is not how you guard a downscreen. Especially when guarding a team that loves to set this little scoring screen like the Tennessee Volunteers and has players really good coming off them, you have to give more help. Oscar Tshiebwe needs to be up much closer to #33 Plavsic and have a hand out at the point of the screen as #25 Vescovi comes off. That makes the pass harder and gives TyTy Washington an extra split second to catch up and stay on Vescovi’s hip as he comes off. When they have shooters coming off with THIS much space and completely uncontested at the elbow they simply won’t miss very many.

I fully understand that my scouting report has zero basis on what actually happens in the games. The Kentucky staff doesn’t read what I write. However, I feel very comfortable in saying that what I put out isn’t that different than what the Wildcats staff has put together. We don’t just make this stuff up! On the scouting report, I mentioned that #25 Vescovi will shot fake on nearly every catch. Well, check this clip out. Washington bites on the shot fake, Tshiebwe helps up, and it results in an easy dunk for #0 Aidoo.

Jacob Toppin was trying really hard to communicate on this possession. He deserves a lot of credit for that. As soon as Kennedy Chandler got the ball, Toppin was pointing and yelling for Sahvir Wheeler to take the ball. However, as we talk about a lot, there are no matchups in transition. There was plenty of time for Wheeler to step up and take the ball in this situation, but at the end of the day when it wasn’t happening Toppin needed to stop the ball and tell Wheeler to take Fulkerson. You just can’t let a guy dribble all the way down the floor into a three.

Struggling to Guard the Three-Point Line

Kentucky gave up 11 three-pointers against Tennessee at Rupp Arena. However, it was covered up by scoring 107 points. The Wildcats needed to do a better job of protecting the arc down in Knoxville but still allowed 8-17 shooting from deep. There were just too many times where guys either made poor decisions or didn’t have enough urgency in taking away three-point attempts.

Tighten up as the ball comes towards you. This is an important mantra when guarding strong shooters. When you are one pass away you need to be much, much closer to your man. #30 James has shot the be very well of late. He needed to be treated as a shooter, but this was just far too slow of a rotation by TyTy Washington. Bad rotation and a bad closeout.

Stay tight at all times. Chase off downscreens and flares. That is what the scouting report said and it is clearly what the Kentucky staff said as well based on their reaction. However, Kellan Grady went up through the downscreen which led to a wide open three for #25 Vescovi. This is especially frustrating coming from a fifth year senior who is a shooter himself. He should know that going up through is a very bad decision.

It was certainly equal opportunity when it came to giving up open three-pointers in the first half. When guarding #25 Vescovi your only responsibility is taking him away from three. You don’t have to help or worry about anything else happening on the floor. However, Davion Mintz takes a step towards the paint when #1 Chandler gets a catch at the elbow and then goes up through on his way to closeout. You just have to have more urgency in taking him away from beyond the arc.

Oscar Tshiebwe Struggles with John Fulkerson

It is unlikely that anyone expected John Fulkerson to outplay National Player of the Year candidate Oscar Tshiebwe. However, that is what happened on Tuesday night as Fulkerson scored 14 points on 4-6 shooting to go along with 8 rebounds. Tshiebwe has been incredible all season long and has always bounced back after less than stellar performances. We broke down his struggles guarding the ballscreen against Auburn and he immediately improved. Hopefully that will once again be the case after getting beaten repeatedly by Fulkerson.

It should not come as any surprise that John Fulkerson wants to drive it left. He has been playing for the Tennessee Volunteers for five years and this is our second matchup this season. You simply can’t get whipped to his left hand like this off the dribble. Tshiebwe just needed to be more ready for the drive.

Let’s be clear, Oscar Tshiebwe has been excellent this season at stealing passes at the elbow and top of the key. That is how he has come to average nearly two steals per game. However, when you gamble and don’t get the steal it really puts the defense into a tough situation. If you are going to go for the steal, you have to get it. On this possession, Tshiebwe doesn’t get the steal putting him out of position and gives up another left-hand drive to Fulkerson.

Fulkerson is always coming back to his left to finish. He generally drives it left, as you see in the last two clips, but when he goes right he is going to spin back left. You just have to be able to concentrate enough in the moment to take away the spin move and keep him going to his right.