'Just DK being DK': Dalton Knecht matching production with efficiency

It’s not just that Dalton Knecht is Tennessee basketball’s leading scorer through three games, it’s how the Northern Colorado transfer wing is scoring. Early on he’s been as efficient as he’s been consistent while starring for the Vols.

In the 82-61 win over Wofford Tuesday at Thompson-Boling Arena, Knecht scored 18 points and needed just 11 shots in his 27 minutes. He now has 59 points on 37 shots this season, averaging 19.7 points on 12.3 shots per game. 

“DK is a great player,” Tennessee transfer guard Jordan Gainey said after Tuesday’s win, “and he knows how to adjust with how defenses are guarding him and what to do.”

Knecht had 17 points on 11 shots against Tennessee Tech in the season opener last week. He had a game-high 24 points on 15 shots in the 80-70 win at Wisconsin Friday night.

He had 28 at Michigan State, another game high, while going 8-for-16 from the floor, 3-for-9 from the 3-point line and 9-for-11 from the foul line. 

“I mean, he’s confident,” Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said after Tuesday’s win. ” … He’s got a great feel for it.”

Dalton Knecht on pace for over 600 points in regular season

Knecht through three games is shooting 54.1% from the field and has made more free throws (15) than any of his teammates have attempted. Knecht has 18 attempts at the foul line, seven more than Josiah-Jordan James (8-11). 

Knecht is on pace to score 609 points on 382 shots during Tennessee’s 31-game regular-season schedule. 

Grant Williams, on his way to Consensus First Team All-American honors and a second straight SEC Player of the Year award, scored 696 points on 415 shots in 37 games — averaging 18.8 points on 11.2 shots per game — as a junior in 2018-19.

Williams had 531 points on 387 shots in 35 games as a sophomore in 2017-18, averaging 15.2 points on 11.0 field-goal attempts while earning his first SEC Player of the Year award. 

Still, Barnes knows there’s even more that Knecht can unlock from the small sample size he’s provided so far.

“It’s like (against Wofford), he came down in transition twice and pulled up and he said coach they’re rhythm threes,” Barnes said. “I said, well, make them.”

Knecht is just 4-for-14 from the 3-point line (28.6%) through three games. Barnes explained to Knecht Tuesday that sometimes he can’t take just what the opposing defense is giving him. 

“I said on the night when a team’s trying to get you to shoot threes,” Barnes said, “sometimes you can’t. You’re gonna have to fight for a little bit more.”

“Anytime we can get a paint touch and a kick out for a three,” Barnes added, “I’m good with it. I’m really good with it. Because I think we got guys that can shoot it, but you still have to put pressure on people.”

Up Next: No. 7 Tennessee vs. Syracuse, Tuesday, 2:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2

Knecht has applied nonstop pressure inside the 3-point line. He’s shooting 69.6% on 2-point shots, making 16 of 23 so far this season.

“I don’t think he gives himself enough credit to his mid range game and getting downhill, I don’t,” Barnes said. “ … He can shoot it. There’s gonna be some nights when he really gets it going and starts striping it, but you gotta have a feel for the game and how the game’s being played and make those adjustments.”

Knecht had to adjust in the second half Tuesday against Wofford, after scoring four points on 1-for-2 shooting in the first half, playing only 10 minutes after picking up two early fouls. 

He had 14 points on 5-for-9 shooting, going 1-for-3 from the 3-point line and 3-for-4 from the free-throw line, in 17 minutes in the second half. 

After clinging to a five-point lead at halftime, Knecht’s spark helped the Vols outscore Wofford by 16 in the second half.

“He just slowed down a little bit more,” Gainey said, “read the defense and we all knew what was gonna happen … whenever he did that, he adjusted it, he got downhill and things just made the offense way more open. Just DK being DK.”