Tennessee assistant coach Gregg Polinksy previews Wednesday's game at Ole Miss

Everything assistant coach Gregg Polinksy said on Tuesday morning, looking back at No. 4 Tennessee’s 79-76 win over No. 7 Alabama on Saturday and previewing the Ole Miss game on Wednesday (9 p.m. Eastern Time, ESPN2) in Oxford:

Tennessee going 7-1 over its last eight games during this stretch run in the SEC

“Yeah, I just looked at that the other day, kind of looking at everybody where they are, schedules, what’s remaining. Because obviously you want to get to Friday where you get the double buy for the (SEC Tournament). I think our guys have just found a way to win, whether it’s at (Texas) A&M we really shot the ball well, at LSU we kind of just gutted that one out. And then obviously Alabama, just to go over the last three, we also gutted that one out and just found a way to win against a really, really good team.”

The makeup of this Tennessee Basketball team, that any player could make a game-changing play

“Just that we have a bunch of selfless guys. And whether a guy is in foul trouble or another guy needs to step up or, I think that probably was best illustrated in the Florida game here. We were able to beat a terrific Florida team with, what, seven guys. And I think it just showed our guys that we can do this. Shack (Jahmai Mashack) had that great statement (before the Florida game), we got all we need right here on this day. And we’re going to get it done. So I think the maturity of the seniors we have on this team, and the guys that have been here a little bit longer than others, I think gives a level of confidence to the other players.”

If it can be a challenge for a team to come back from an emotional win like the Alabama game on Saturday

“We’re going to see. You’re always a little concerned when, that was a very euphoric win. It was something I’ll never forget and I’m sure a lot of people that were in this building — players, fans, media — it was a magical moment here. But yeah, we know though. I think again the maturity (of this team), knowing that Ole Miss is a really good team. Stylistically, I was thinking about this driving in today, that Ole Miss plays Kentucky and is up big in that game. And depending on who you play, matchups are really critical. So how do we match up with different teams. And we’re going to find that out here. It seems like Ole Miss will play a little bit smaller and so forth and that might lend itself to us being able to mix and match our lineups. So we’ll see how this one runs on Wednesday.”

Why Tennessee’s Jordan Gainey has been so much more affective to the rim this season

“I think just a mindset. And him knowing also, and talking with him about, Zakai (Zeigler) I think is our quickest guy, but back in my, I call it my old days, I used to call guys de-accelerators to the rim and accelerators to the rim. So some guys are like quick first step, and then they kind of probe their way through, Euro step. Jordan Gainey is our fastest accelerator to the rack. He is a guy that, and I think making him realize that, and him saying it and showing it to him and then talking about it with him. Don’t sell yourself short. You don’t have to settle, man. You are fast-on-fast to the rim that he has taken that to heart. He still has a great mid-range game. He’s still very capable from three, but I think him getting downhill, he knows our team needs that. We don’t have a bunch of guys that do that at a high level and he does.”

Something he’s learned from Tennessee’s senior class

“Yeah, I’ve learned that Saturday, so I think it’s my senior night as well. It was a joke. Isn’t that funny? It was great. I said at Georgia Southern, if they had just told me that they were going to fire me. I’d have had Cindy (his wife) bring me out roses and stuff. But anyway, this group has been amazing. I mean, everyone uses the word resilient. I would say that this group has not hoped to win games, but expected to win games. And I think there’s a huge difference, in my experience, watching it at any sport at any level. Teams that consistently win when they don’t play their best and you’re trying to figure out why because there’s some teams that expect to win and they’re going to just do those little itty bitty things that aren’t that noticeable. And this senior group has done that.”

What makes Tennessee’s Jordan Gainey so good in the midrange, and midrange being a dying art

“Well one, Coach Barnes doesn’t think it’s phased out, so that helps. So there’s confidence to take that shot. And two, I think he and Z and those guys playing out of ball screens have become so much more sophisticated about what they’re doing. Snaking it, getting guys on your hip, having some patience, seeing if the big reacts, is he giving you separation? Is he coming up? Is it a lob? Is it a shot? Those are all split second decisions that I think just through doing it more and more and having the confidence to do it has allowed those guys to have exceptional years, particularly Jordan and making that play.”

What stands out about this Ole Miss team

“Yeah, defensively they’re still really good. You know, Coach (Mark) Adams came back there with Coach Beard and they still ping you on the side. They’re gonna switch everything, which is always an issue. It’s always hard to get used to. They do a little matchup zone, you know, they’re gonna press some, they’re gonna change things up and you know and they’ve, like most of us, they’re going to play with more enthusiasm at home. We expect a sell out and this is a big game for them. We’re all fighting for seating. I think Ole Miss is obviously securely in the NCAA Tournament, but now you’re looking at fighting for seeding.”

If the coaching staff has more confidence in this Tennessee team because the Vols have come from behind to win several games, or if it is worrisome

“Well, you’d rather be up eight (or) nine (and) stretch it out, but it’s not worrisome. I think that, again, you guys have brought it up in here already; the poise, the leadership. Coach (Barnes) has a calmness about him. I mean, you guys see him. Like, he gets on guys and he addresses the things he has to address, but he also allows guys to talk in the timeout. And I think all of that is important because then they feel ownership and they feel the opportunity to speak and to solve the equation. I think we’ve got an older group, and when you have that, a lot of times it may not work out, but at least they have the recipe to try to get there.”

If he feels Tennessee’s Igor Milicic Jr. is pressing offensively

“I don’t think he’s pressing. I think he is trying to do what Coach has asked of him. You know, Igor has a unique ability at 6-10 to facilitate, and we all know there’s a lot of pressure on Zakai to do that. Igor is trying to alleviate some of that. Coach wants him to do that. So I think what Igor’s trying to figure out, we’ve all seen him score the ball. That’s something he’s always been able to do, but how do I connect? And that was Igor’s word yesterday talking to Coach. Like, how do I connect and be productive and help this basketball team scoring, but yet facilitating, and you know, being able to play out on the floor and making reads and getting guy shots because that’s a unique thing at his size and skillset that we have not had here. We’ve had a lot of things from different guys, but we haven’t had that on that kind of level. So I think that’s more of it, him trying to figure it out. And again, we gotta remember, like he’s been here less than a year, so hopefully he’s going to connect it tomorrow night.”

What stands out about the Ole Miss offense

“I think it’s six guys that are in double-digit scoring, so they don’t need just one guy to get it done. They truly do it with a team effort. So we can’t put too much emphasis on any one player. We have to do what we do and do it really well at a high level and then, you know, hopefully do a much better job rebounding the basketball than we did against a really physical, athletic Alabama team here on Saturday.”