Vols want a more aggressive Santiago Vescovi, even if he's not 'the main character of the movie'

There were two possessions in particular against Vanderbilt on Saturday night that came to mind for Tennessee assistant coach Rod Clark. From his view on the bench at Memorial Gymnasium, he thought Santiago Vescovi should’ve shot the basketball. 

Instead, Vescovi drove twice. He finished once with a layup. And once with a pass that turned into a teammate hitting a 3-pointer.

“So apparently he knows what he’s doing a lot more than I do,” Clark said on Monday, “so I just kind of let him do his thing.”

Still, Tennessee’s coaching staff wouldn’t mind if that thing was Vescovi more aggressively seeking his shots, the way he has done the last four seasons with the Vols. 

“He’s turning down a few that we would like him to take,” Clark added. “We want him to become a little bit more aggressive in that area.”

Santiago Vescovi this season: 7.7 ppg, 39.1% FG, 32.9% 3FG

Vescovi is averaging 4.1 less shots per game this season, taking 6.1 in 26.7 minutes per game after taking 10.2 in 33.0 minutes per game last season. His 3-point attempts are down from 7.5 per game last season, a career high, to 4.3 this season.

The obvious change for Vescovi, and the rest of his Tennessee teammates, is the addition of Dalton Knecht, the star transfer wing from Northern Colorado who leads the team in scoring at 19.5 points per game. 

But it shouldn’t be a complete change for Vescovi, the fifth-year shooting guard who has 309 made 3-pointers to his credit.

“The thing is,” Clark said Monday, when asked about Vescovi’s role in the offense this season, “has it changed as far as what we need him to do? Not really. The volume has just been down … just because we have a lot of guys that can score the ball as well now. And I think he’s been taking it in stride and figuring it out all year.”

Vescovi had 12 points in the 75-62 win over Vanderbilt on Saturday, finishing 3-for-8 from the field and 2-for-5 from the 3-point line. It was his most points since scoring 12 against Tarleton State on December 21 and his most field goal attempts since taking nine against Ole Miss on January 6.

Vescovi himself on Monday wanted to talk less about his role and more about the end result.

“Really to me,” Vescovi said, “at this point in my life, I’m a fifth-year (senior) here, all I want do is win. So I don’t really care who’s the main character of the movie, per se. I think we’re in a point (with) the team where really all we want do is win.” 

Up Next: No. 5 Tennessee vs. South Carolina, Tuesday, 6:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network

Knecht is the biggest reason why Tennessee is winning, scoring 160 points over his last five games, including 30 or more in three of the last four. 

But Jonas Aidoo is, too, averaging 11.9 points and 7.5 rebounds. So is Zakai Zeigler, averaging 10.2 points and 5.1 assists per game. So is Jordan Gainey, who has 25 points off the bench in his last two games, and Jahmai Mashack, who the Vols consider the best perimeter defender in college basketball. 

It’s Rick Barnes who often refers to Vescovi and fifth-year senior wing Josiah-Jordan James as veterans who make winning plays and affect the game even if they’re not scoring. 

“We have Dalton come up for us big-time offensively,” Vescovi said. “And I mean, he’s just the man at this point. We still need every other guy on the team, but it’s just more of getting used to your role, whatever it might be. 

“And it might change some games. (Knecht has) come up big, some other games we have other guys come up big too. So just adapt every single game to what the team needs out of you and keep playing together. It’s all about winning at this point.”

The Vols want Vescovi to just keep doing what he’s doing. And when the shot is there, take it.

“Last game he took open shots,” Clark said, “he took drives and made plays and that’s what we need him to do. We need him ready all times when he receives an opportunity to catch a shoot or he’s catching and driving a close out. That’s when he’s best. And he does a good job of driving and kicking and also finishing for us.”

Vescovi just wants to finish with a win. As many as he can add to his total before his Tennessee career comes to an end. Regardless of what role he’s playing. 

“The only thing we worry about is the final result,” he said. “As long as we’re winning, everybody’s happy. And that’s how it should be. And it really talks highly about the whole team.”