Frustrated? Yes, but Vols not losing confidence on offensive end

Tennessee went to Florida last week and shot 27.9 percent from the field and scored just 54 points in the loss at Exactech Arena in Gainesville. It was the lowest scoring output of the season for the Vols and the second worst shooting performance. 

Then they came back home to Thompson-Boling Arena and scored just 46 points and shot just 27.0 percent from the field in the 46-43 win over Bruce Pearl and his Tigers. 

Tennessee went 19-for-68 against Florida, including 5-for-25 from the 3-point line. The Vols finished 17-for-63 against Auburn — missing their first seven shots from the field as the cold snap followed them back from Gainesville — and went just 2-for-21 from the arc.

On Monday, associate head coach Justin Gainey described the missed shots as more of a frustration than a concern. 

“The thing is, we’re getting good looks,” he said. “In the (Auburn) game, they feel like good looks. But when you go back on watch in on film, it proves to still be a good shot. It’s just a matter of knocking them down. I’m sure our guys are frustrated with it because they are good, clean looks. They work hard at those shots every single day.

Vols were a combined 36-for-131 from the field last week against Florida, Auburn

“It’s not like we’re asking them to come out and make some miraculous-type shots,” Gainey added. “It’s a little frustrating, but I’ve got confidence in our guys and our group. We’re going to continue to work to get good shots and they’re going to knock those down. I have total belief and total faith in it.”

No. 6 Tennessee (19-4, 8-2 SEC) will look to warm up at Vanderbilt (11-12, 4-6) on Wednesday (7 p.m. Eastern Time; TV: SEC Network) at Memorial Gymnasium in Nashville. 

The Vols scored 77 points and shot 48.3 percent from the field and went 7-for-21 at the 3-point line in the win over Vandy on January 10 at Thompson-Boling Arena. 

Santiago Vescovi and Julian Phillips scored 15 each in the win, combining to go 12-for-18 from the field. Uros Plavsic had 11 points of 4 of 7 shooting and Tyreke Key and Jonas Aidoo scored eight each, making six of their 13 attempts. 

Against Auburn on Saturday, Josiah-Jordan James had 15 points and 14 rebounds, making five of his 12 shots from the floor. Olivier Nkamhoua had nine points, but missed 12 of his 16 shots. 

At Florida on Wednesday, Zakai Zeigler scored 15 points but went 6-for-19. He was 0-for-10, including 0-for-7 from the 3-point line, against Auburn, finishing with three points and six assists. 

Up Next: No. 6 Tennessee at Vanderbilt, Wednesday, 7 p.m. ET, SEC Network

If there was a common thread between the two games, Gainey said it was both teams trying to take away the 3-point line. The Vols got the shots they wanted, though. They just didn’t hit them.

“It doesn’t feel like it was anything schematically, from a defensive standpoint,” Gainey said, “that they did. We got what we wanted, the shots we wanted, the looks we got. I mean, think about the Olivier layup where it was uncontested. 

“Those are great shots. It just didn’t fall. We feel great that those shots are going to fall for us as we continue to move forward.”

If Tennessee players are pressing on the offensive end, the coaching staff hasn’t seen it. Frustrated? Yes. Concerned? Not yet.

“I think we have a mature group,” Gainey said. “We have a group that has been through a lot. They believe in each other. The positive talk that you hear in the locker room, that you hear in the huddles, doesn’t lead me to believe guys will start pressing. 

“I think if anything, it will encourage the guys to continue to work on their craft and work on it extra and also in practice.”