Tennessee basketball scored 91 points in its blowout victory over Alabama on Saturday afternoon marking the third straight game that the Vols totaled 85-plus points. It’s the first time that Tennessee has reached the 85-point mark in three straight SEC games since 1978.
The Vols’ offense is definitively better this season and they proved it again combining for 176 points this week. But it was Tennessee’s defense that was the story of the game, and the week, as it suffocated the nation’s top offense.
“Defense, because today, we played against one of obviously the best offensive teams in the country,” Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said on whether he was more pleased with the offense or defense against Alabama. “I’m just proud of the effort the guys put into it, both mentally and physically.”
The numbers speak for themselves. Alabama’s 71 points marked its lowest total of the season as the Crimson Tide totaled just .934 points per possession. It was the second time in as many games that Tennessee held its opponent to their lowest scoring mark of the season.
Tennessee’s defensive success started with how they defended Alabama star point guard Mark Sears. One of the top SEC Player of the Year candidates tangled with Zakai Zeigler and Jahmai Mashack all afternoon and the elite perimeter defense duo made his life miserable.
It speaks to Sears’ talent that he scored 22 points, though 15 came in the second half with the game largely out of hand, but nothing came easy for him. The Vols turned Sears over seven times and turned Alabama over 22 times— both marks being season-highs.
“If you turn the ball over 22 times … you’re not winning the game,” Alabama coach Nate Oats said. “Not against a team like this.”
Despite a respectable scoring total, Sears was never able to get in a rhythm. Without Sears creating things for everyone else, Alabama’s offense never got going. Tennessee’s defense has been susceptible to elite big men this season, but the Vols have the horses to throw at elite guards. Creating offense for 33 minutes with no one but Zeigler and Mashack guarding you is a daunting task.
More From RTI: Three Quick Takeaways On Tennessee’s Win Over Alabama
“It would be very difficult,” Tennessee guard Jordan Gainey said, putting himself in Sears’ shoes postgame. “Those two guys are great on the defensive end. They put their entire pride on defense.”
Slowing down Sears was just the start of Tennessee’s dominant defensive performance. Alabama’s a top 15 three-point shooting team nationally and totals 38% of its points from the perimeter. But the Crimson Tide made just four three-pointers, tying a season low, against Tennessee and two came in the game’s final three minutes.
The Vols ran Alabama off the three-point line as the Crimson Tide attempted just 21 triples— seven less than Tennessee. With Oats’ staunch refusal for his team to shoot midrange jumpers, Alabama was forced to take an abundance of shots at the basket.
That’s were Jonas Aidoo was waiting. Physical big men have given Aidoo issues but few in the nation are better at protecting the rim from driving guards than the junior is. That proved true on Saturday as the 6-foot-11 big man blocked four shots.
“Then you guys have guys like Jonas at the rim where if you try and force him to get to the basket and force him to try and shoot a scoop layup or some hook shot at the rim, Jonas is right there blocking it or I am going to be right there trying to contain and put my hands up and make it a tough finish,” Mashack said specifically about defending Sears though it applied to the entire Alabama team.
Coming off a week where its defense looked susceptible on the road, Tennessee turned in two of its best defensive performances of the season and proved that despite the vast offensive improvements they’re still elite defensively.
That’s the calling card of Barnes’ teams and this one is no different. These Vols have more ways they can beat you but that hasn’t made them any softer or less daunting to face on the defensive end.
