Game 9: GMU (7-1) at #10/11 Tennessee (4-3) on Tuesday, December 5, at 6:30 PM.

[Patriotsince81]

The game is on ESPN+/SECN+ and the Vol Network.

Tennessee is a member of the SEC. The Volunteers were picked to finish 1st in preseason SEC polls are are currently ranked #10/11 in the nation.

KenPom: Gives us a 10% chance of winning.
GMU - 92
Tennessee - 9
NET:
GMU - 139
Tennessee - 5

We are 1-0 (1.000) against Tennessee all-time. We beat the Volunteers 58-55 on March 17, 2004. A raucous crowd of 4,196 cheered on the Patriots at what was then Patriot Center. Tony Skinn led us with 16 points.

Tennessee is currently 4-3 on the season. They are 2-0 at home, 1-1 on the road, and 1-2 at neutral sites.

Wins: Tennessee Tech (80-42), Wisconsin (80-70), Wofford (82-61), Syracuse (73-56)
Losses: #1 Purdue (71-67), #5 Kansas (69-60), #17 North Carolina (100-92)

Schedule: https://utsports.com/sports/mens-basketball/schedul
Roster: https://utsports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster
Stats: https://utsports.com/documents/2023...-24_Season_Stats__through_North_Carolina_.pdf

Tennessee is led by 6’6” Dalton Knecht (20.3 ppg), 6’3” Jordan Gainey (11.6 ppg), 6’7” Josiah-Jordan James (10.9 ppg & 6.7 reb), 6’11” Jonas Aidoo (8.7 ppg & 7.0 reb), 6’3” Santiago Vescovi (7.6 ppg), and 6’4” Jahmal Mashack (5.6 ppg). 5’9” Zakal Ziegler (4.9 ppg) has started once for Tennessee. That’s pretty much it, they basically have a seven man rotation. 6’8” Tobe Awaka (3.7 ppg) and 6’11” JP Estella (1.0 ppg) have seen very limited minutes in 6 games thus far.

The Volunteers have averaged 76.3 points per game while giving up 67.0. Tennessee is shooting 42.9% from the floor and 33.0% from 3. Opponents are shooting 39.3% from the field and 29.7% from 3. The Volunteers have out rebounded their opponents by 1.0 boards per game thus far. They shoot 78.1% from the charity stripe and have averaged 10.3 turnovers per game to date.

My prediction: They are already battle tested on the young season playing a difficult schedule against some of the best teams in the country. KenPom predicts a 15 point loss (74-59). We will cover the spread but I’ve had this down as an L from day one. It will be fun to see how we stack up. Which Keyshawn Hall shows up will determine a lot.

Discuss.

 

[GMUYoda]

Didn't one of their starters get injured last game? Sprained ankle?

ETA - it was Knecht... Sounds like he's going to play though reading online

 

[DRK331]

We will learn a lot about Keyshawn Hall from this game since he will be the major point of emphasis on the Vols scouting report

 

[Walter]

Too bad we aren’t playing a FRB team in post season, I would like our chances. But Regular Season Rick is hard to beat in the Food City Center.

 

[Pikapppatri8]

Too bad we aren’t playing a FRB team in post season, I would like our chances. But Regular Season Rick is hard to beat in the Food City Center.

Oh yee of little faith, it might be the post glory after glow, the bourbon, or the adderall, but what we have learned is that we have a team - that despite remade from new parts - has shown a cohesiveness and dare I say a grittiness, toughness, borderline murderous anger, We have the ability to win a game against a tough opponent when one of our leading players is off his game. We play defense like in the Coach L days. We are scoring and driving and penetrating into the paint like a 17 year old working to get his fingers sticky on homecoming.

And of course there is the Game of Thrones and Lord of the Rings level circumlocution of revenge in beating a team led by FRB.

Mason 86
Tenn 85
Double OT

 

[GreenLantern]

US 90
barnes 88
5 OT

 

[NewPatriot]

I'm gonna counter. Dayton went on the road to Northwestern and took them to the wire. Northwestern beat purdue. St. Joe's took Kentucky to OT in Rupp arena then decisively beat #21 Villanova at the Palestra and now Temple. UNCG beat #14 Arkansas in little Rock. James Madison went into East Lansing and beat #4 Michigan St.

We have 2 guys with extensive power conference experience and will not be afraid of the moment.

You just gotta believe.

 

[DRK331]

If anyone knows how to pull off upsets, its Tony Skinn

Example: 2006

 

[Walter]

My post was mostly meant as a dig at FRB. I am one of only two - I think - who picked Patriots over the Vols.

 

[GMU79]

We will learn a lot about Keyshawn Hall from this game since he will be the major point of emphasis on the Vols scouting report

True, but fortunately for us, we are not a one man team.

 

[mkaufman1]

Going to be a tough one.

UT 80
mason 63

 

[mkaufman1]

Homer pick

G Mas 100
Utee 55

4 overtimes

 

[Where's the party?]

Far be it for me to jinx us by deviating from the uncharacteristic optimism I've exhibited this year.

Tony's Diamonds - 67
Hillbilly U - 66

 

[KAOriginal]

We have the depth and the talent to really compete for the first time in a long time against a better Power 5.

Just want to see how it plays out.

 

[Verdad]

Foul trouble with Kelly, Hall having a bounce back game, turnovers and 3 pt shooting - my 4 keys to the game. Probably need all 4 to go our way to have a shot

 

[GMUgemini]

Foul trouble with Kelly, Hall having a bounce back game, turnovers and 3 pt shooting - my 4 keys to the game. Probably need all 4 to go our way to have a shot

We need all 5 starters plus Newton and Okojie to all have the game of their lives at the same time and that’s it. Not too hard right?

 

[Walter]

FRB likes running the offense through the post. Good news for us is this Vol team doesn’t have a great post player.

 

[smccart5]

I promise to stay up late for the BG Twitter spaces if we win!!

 

[phoenix-arizona]

I was happy to be wrong about Toledo. If UNCW can go into Kentucky and win, GMU can go into UT and win.

 

[Old Man]

Popcorn report from Mason @ Toledo:
Good: Price! Salt is spot on. There is some butter.
Bad: Pre boxed. Butter was inconsistent.
Overall Grade: B-

Popcorn Report from the Cincinnati Bearcats home arena. (On my way to Knoxville from Toledo and stopped in Cincinnasty for the UC/FGCU game.)
Bucket style presentation, $6. Crispy, not stale at all. Butter good, maybe a tad salty. Didn't seem to pop at the time at the concession stand, so I'll give this a solid B.