SEC basketball: desperation Tuesday for Vols, ‘Dores, and Aggies
In SEC basketball Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Texas A&M were desperate for wins Tuesday night. Kentucky, without four key players, was plain old desperate.
An ancient hate renewed in Nashville
Tennessee and Vanderbilt, both with two losses in SEC basketball play and a hate seared over years of red-hot in-state rivalry, squared off Tuesday in Vanderbilt’s Memorial Gymnasium. After trailing by ten in the second half, the hostilities turned number 24 ranked Tennessee’s way.
Grant Williams led Tennessee with a career-best 37 points and the Volunteers beat Vanderbilt 92-84.
“He’s good,” Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said of Williams. “He’s really good down there when he gets it deep and he goes quick. And we knew. We spent a lot of time expecting double-teams not just on Grant but on Admiral. He’s only going to continue to get double-teamed.”
Career night for Grant Williams
Williams scored a career-high 37 points and Schofield added 22 as the number 24 ranked Volunteers came back from a 10-point halftime deficit to beat the Commodores 92-84 at Memorial Gym.
After an 0-2 start in SEC basketball play, Tennessee has reeled off two straight wins. The Volunteers face a reeling Texas A&M team Saturday.
The Commodores began the night 12th in the SEC in 3-point shooting at 32.7 percent as a team, but they shot 43 percent Tuesday night. Williams 60 percent shooting and Admiral Schofield 63 percent shooting was still more than the Memorial Gym three-point magic could overcome.
Tennessee is 11-4 overall and 2-2 in SEC basketball play. Vanderbilt is 6 – 10 overall, 1 – 3 in league play.
Aggies struggling
Meanwhile, Texas A&M limped into Rupp Arena with no SEC basketball wins.
Opportunity knocked for the Aggies, as the Wildcats played without starting point guard Quade Green or reserve forward Tai Wynyard due to back injuries, Also, Kentucky is still playing without freshman forward Jarred Vanderbilt or freshman guard Jemarl Baker due to injury, meaning they played the very talented Aggies with just seven available scholarship players.
It was enough.
For the depeleted Cats, PJ Washington stepped up with 16 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander matched Washington’s effort with 39 minutes of play to deliver16 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 blocks and a steal. The result was a 74 – 73 Kentucky win.
Kentucky is 13-3 overall and 3-1 in SEC basketball play. Texas A&M is 11-5 overall, 0-4 in league play. John Calipari isn’t worried about the Aggies situation.
“Too many people get too concerned early in the year with the way things start off in conference play,” Calipari said on Monday. “I still think they’ll be there when it’s all said and done.”
Next: National Championship Game is a Kane Classic
I’m not sure where Coach Cal thinks there is, but where ever it is, it’s further away today than it was Monday for Texas A&M.