Michigan Delivers The Final Blow To Tennessee’s Season, 76-68, After A Rough Night Shooting For Vols – OutKick

INDIANAPOLIS — Who knew {that a} spherical of 32 sport may really feel like a Closing 4 sort ambiance? This was the case on Saturday evening, with a sold-out crowd watching the slugfest between 3-seed Tennessee and 11-seed Michigan.

Ultimately it was the Wolverines pulling out the win 76-68, in entrance of a largely pro-Tennessee crowd.

It was the approaching out celebration to the remainder of school basketball simply how good Kennedy Chandler actually was. This sport changed into a Chandler exhibition within the second half, whereas his teammates struggled to seek out any sort of rhythm on offense. The Vols have been 2-15 from three-point vary on the 2:35 mark of the second half, struggling to seek out something however a layup.

It was a sport through which the Vols by no means appeared snug on offense, solely getting something from Chandler, as his teammates have been struggling to seek out something from contained in the paint or outdoors the arc. This was not the Tennessee workforce we’ve seen for the higher a part of the season, it was completely different. They have been sucked into the sport plan of Michigan and so they by no means received out of the opening. You may put this sport on a variety of people, however not having a solution for when issues aren’t hitting from behind the arc is inexcusable.

Kennedy Chandler was the participant tonight who took the following step for himself, however it was extra about his workforce postgame. Coach Rick Barnes talked about how a lot of an element Chandler was throughout tonight’s matchup, particularly driving the basket.

“Kennedy did an excellent job. They actually didn’t have a solution for him going downhill… I’d have preferred to see us perform a little extra inside… However give them credit score. They made the performs there on the finish.

“He’s grown tremendously, as an excellent child and a teammate. He by no means walked in as a one and completed participant,” Barnes added. “Should you noticed his emotion, it was rather more than that within the locker room. He received so a lot better, and that needed to do together with his teammates.”

Tennessee tried to make use of Uros Plavsic to regulate Hunter Dickinson tonight, however that didn’t work. Dickinson went off for 27 factors and 11 rebounds, inflicting issues all night for the Vols within the paint. Even when Tennessee would attempt to change off and let Fulkerson or Jonas Aidoo guard him, nothing was altering.

The Vols scored 20 factors off 15 Michigan turnovers, and put themselves in a pleasant place with simply over eight minutes to go. A six-point cushion for Tennessee with 8:37 left, with nothing falling behind the arc, and but they nonetheless had the lead. Nevertheless it was the Michigan run that was going to finish the season for the Vols.

Led by Eli Brooks, the Wolverines went on a 14-4 run on the Vols, taking the 68-64 lead with simply over 2 minutes remaining, by no means wanting again. It was the nightmare that Tennessee followers have been hoping wouldn’t happen, however it occurred. I don’t assume many would’ve thought this Rick Barnes-led squad would come out and fall into the lure that Michigan laid, however I’ll say that the open pictures have been there. As dangerous because the scoreboard and stat sheet appeared, however it was loopy to assume the Vols truly had a lead.

Michigan’s Terrance Williams broke it down completely when it got here to guarding the Vols tonight.

“That was largely within the sport plan, guarding the perimeter. That they had shooters, their guard play, Vescovi is unquestionably a giant shooter. However one of many of sport plans was to protect the three-point line. I felt like we did our job at present in guarding that three-point line. They went 2 for 18, and I feel we did our half.”

However this additionally appeared just like the Tennessee workforce we’ve seen all season lengthy in the case of offensive woes. Going 5 minutes and not using a basket, capturing the worst proportion from three-point vary all season lengthy and the Wolverines capturing 50 p.c from the sector will trigger you to begin spring break early. That is what occurred on Saturday evening. There’s nothing else, nothing extra, it was only a dangerous evening to have a nasty evening capturing.

There additionally appeared to be a struggle out of Michigan that the Vols have been having a tough time reciprocating late within the sport. Perhaps it was the momentum or possibly it was the emotion of the Wolverines over the ultimate 4 minutes, however they outhustled a workforce that hardly ever will get outhustled.

There’ll now be a variety of followers of Tennessee basketball who will probably be rightfully pissed off, questioning if this college will ever take the following step with all of the expertise that they’ve. It’s exhausting to assume that this Tennessee workforce received’t go additional with a participant like Kennedy Chandler, who completed with 19 factors and 9 assists.

Juwan Howard mentioned his determination to go zone, and the impact it had on Kennedy Chandler.

However we’re right here and now the chatter will start. For a workforce with a lot expertise, heading residence within the second spherical shouldn’t be the top consequence for this season. Michigan deserved to be heading onto the Candy 16, whereas the Vols shot themselves to an early exit.

Now going ahead this workforce will look a bit completely different, particularly when Chandler decides to show professional and John Fulkerson cleans out his locker for the ultimate time.

This sport of basketball is merciless and tonight proved that narrative for Tennessee, who’re left questioning “what if” once more.