NASHVILLE, TN – Tennessee’s slide continued as it lost its third straight game. The Vols fell 75-62 to Illinois despite dominating on the glass.
Even with an overwhelming rebounding edge, Tennessee was undone by freshman forward Nate Ament’s defensive struggles and inconsistent guard play, issues that cap its ceiling if it hopes to make a Final Four run.
Here are three takeaways from the Vols’ biggest loss of the season.
Bullying on the Boards
Tennessee knew it was in for a physical game against Illinois. The Illini, one of the tallest teams in the country, came in ranked in the top 10 nationally in rebounding. But the Vols followed the scouting report and kept Illinois in check on the glass. The Illini, who average 44.5 rebounds per game, finished with 31.
Tennessee controlled the offensive boards, out-rebounding Illinois 23-11 and turning those extra chances into 22 second-chance points. The Vols’ front line set the tone, with Okpara grabbing six rebounds and Carey seven for a combined 13.
Picked on in the Post
Ament is becoming a liability on the defensive end. While the freshman has already shown his struggles on offense, including a 4-for-14 night from the field in this one, head coach Rick Barnes is unlikely to tolerate what is happening on the other side of the ball.
Illinois repeatedly targeted Ament because of his lack of physicality. The Illini worked to get Ament switched onto Zvonimir Ivisic, and Barnes initially allowed Ament to guard him one-on-one in the post. From Illinois’ first bucket, though, Ament could not hold his ground against the Illini’s bigs.
To start the second half, the coaching staff adjusted and tried to send a double-team when Ament was posted up. That backfired as Keaton Wagler knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers off passes from Ivisic.
Barnes pulled Ament for a 6:07 stretch in the second half but gave him one more chance. Ament responded with two physical plays, including a strong putback where he plucked the ball over Andre Stojakovic and finished at the rim. If Ament can bring that level of effort for a full game, Tennessee’s ceiling could rise in a hurry.
Growing at Guard
Ament has been an easy target for criticism, but Tennessee’s guard play as a whole has been lacking. Point guards are expected to be the engine in Barnes’ offense. Ja’Kobi Gillespie finished the game shooting 30% from the field and 33% from deep. He hasn’t had a “wow” shooting performance since the Rutgers contest nearly two weeks ago.
The shooting guard spot, as a whole, is missing a consistent scoring presence. Bishop Boswell will make 3-pointers when he’s open, but he mostly plays the same role that Jahmai Mashack did last season. Amaree Abram has moments where he hits shots – he went 2-for-3 against Illinois – but overall, he’s quiet on the floor.
Ethan Burg has struggled with turnovers, and he appears to have lost the staff’s trust. He logged only three minutes against the Illini.
Amari Evans showed he can hang on the floor. The freshman earned more minutes against Illinois, scoring two points on 1-of-2 shooting. His most impressive play came with about eight minutes left in the first half. He reached in and forced a turnover on David Mirkovic.
Tennessee will need Evans to keep developing to build any kind of guard depth, because right now it has almost none.
