Vols ‘were a complete afterthought' against Duke, just how they want it

ORLANDO — Tennessee assistant coach Rod Clark pointed it out before Saturday afternoon’s second-round game in the NCAA Tournament. The veteran Vols, with their four seniors starters, were about to go up against a Duke team starting four freshmen.

“We knew they were extremely talented,” Clark told Volquest, “they have some really good young guys.”

The emphasis was on the young guys.

“You can’t have your careers ended by some freshmen,” Clark told the group of seniors.

Tennessee had been here before. Duke, for the most part, had not.

“They had a lot of guys that haven’t been here before,” Clark said. “And we have a lot of guys that have been here before. We have guys that have won championships. We have guys that have been in NCAA Tournaments, that have played in second-round games. 

“Our biggest thing was come out, impose our will and be the toughest team. And let’s see how it goes.”

It went well.

Senior power forward Olivier Nkamhoua was dominant, scoring 23 of his 27 points in the second half to lead Tennessee to a 65-52 win that left no doubt. Senior guard Santiago Vescovi scored 14 points and added five rebounds and five assists. Senior wing Josiah-Jordan James scored seven, grabbed five rebounds and had four assists.

Nkamhoua finished 10-for-13 from the field, 3-for-4 from the 3-point line line and 4-for-5 from the foul line while grabbing five rebounds.

“He was a man amongst boys,” Clark said of Nkamhoua. “He was really good.”

Josiah-Jordan James: ‘It wasn’t about proving them wrong. It was about proving ourselves right.’

Tennessee (25-10) led for over 26 minutes and a tone early that was equal parts physical and aggressive. The Vols forced 11 turnovers in the first half and scored 18 points off Duke’s total of 15. They won the rebounding battle 35-30 and gave up just six offensive boards. 

“When we come out early and we’re aggressive defensively,” Clark said, “and we’re flying around and we’re rotating over the ball and making the plays at the rim, it’s really hard to beat us and it kind of fuels our offense on the other end.”

What fueled Tennessee late Thursday night, through the day on Friday and into Saturday afternoon, was what was said off the floor. 

The Vols entered as an underdog despite being the higher seed, surviving Louisiana 58-55 in the first round. They had lost seven of their last 13 and were facing a Duke team that had won 10 straight, including a 23-point win over Oral Roberts on Thursday after a run to the ACC Tournament title last week.

“We were a complete afterthought,” Clark said.

And the Tennessee coaching staff made sure their players knew it.

“The coaches put up these talking heads,” James said, “people who consider themselves experts in the field of college basketball. Nobody had us winning. You know, it wasn’t about proving them wrong. It was about proving ourselves right. 

“We know that we have a lot more left to do, but I was just so happy we were able to get the job done today.”

Up Next: No. 4 Tennessee vs. No. 9 Florida Atlantic or No. 16 Fairleigh Dickinson, Thursday, Sweet Sixteen

James noted that he saw it on social media, too, scrolling his timeline and seeing a lot of the same talk that followed these Vols around as they trudged through a disastrous February, as they dropped from the No. 2 team in the country to the No. 4-seed line in the NCAA Tournament.

But now they’re headed to the Sweet Sixteen at Madison Square Garden, awaiting the winner of Sunday’s game between No. 9 Florida Atlantic and No. 16 Fairleigh Dickinson — two more afterthoughts that took down No. 8 Memphis and No. 1 Purdue, respectively, Friday night.

But good luck taking the underdog label away from these Vols. James wants to keep wearing it as long as this team keeps playing. 

“It’s a lot easier playing that role,” James said. “We love being doubted because ultimately it doesn’t matter what people say, what people think about us. We know what we have. 

“The victories are so much more sweet when you’re able to win it when you’re doubted.”