University of Tennessee Athletics
@Vol_Hoops Report: Nov. 18
November 18, 2015 | Men's Basketball
Nov. 18, 2015
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee basketball coach Rick Barnes met with reporters Wednesday at the Ray and Lucy Hand Digital Studio. But before he dove into a preview of Thursday's upcoming game against Marshall (7 p.m. ET, SEC Network +), he made it a point to share his thoughts on the impact Vols fans had during Monday night's game at Georgia Tech.
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Rick Barnes
(On his evalutation of the team after two games)
"I really like our guys a lot. I think they're learning. We don't have a lot of room for error in games, but the fact is we proved the other night that we're going to compete, which was one thing that we talked about. We've just got to get so much better with our offensive execution. We can't rely on Armani [Moore] breaking out of the offense and him getting the ball and just backing his way down. We can't get that stagnant."
(On the teaching lessons he can take from a one-possession game)
"I think every game you look back and you always know you can coach better, you know your players can play better, but points like this are great teaching points. However, it had nothing to do with what we were trying to do. It comes back to the fact that we didn't try to do what we were supposed to do, and they didn't do anything to try and stop us from doing that. We stopped ourselves in the situation, and we've told our guys over and over again, the one thing that you don't want to do is beat yourself."
"After the game the other night, on the way back, our staff was talking about the Tennessee spirit and pride and the reception that we had at the game in Georgia at Georgia Tech," Barnes said. "One time there at the end of the game, I was just totally surprised; you felt like you were at home. They started chanting 'Defense! Defense!' and it was really a great feeling."
Orange-clad Tennessee fans were spread all across Georgia Tech's McCamish Pavilion Monday night, and their energy, volume coordinated chants helped the Vols mount an 9-0 run at one point in the second half.
The "Defense" chant Barnes referenced took place during a long Yellow Jackets possession after UT senior Armani Moore beat the shot clock with a 3-pointer that pulled the Vols to within two point, 69-67.
Fueled by the support of the Big Orange faithful, Tennessee was able to come up with a big stop on that possession. But neither team managed to score during the final 1:52 in regulation, and the final score held.
"I hope that we can continue to get people to travel with us," Barnes said. "I know that we have a large base in Atlanta, but I would love to see us get to a point where we have people that really want to travel with our team and support us like that."
SCOUTING MARSHALL
Thursday's contest at Thompson-Boling Arena marks the Thundering Herd's season-opener. They defeated Bluefield State 112-78 in exhibition action before dropping their final exhibition to Newberry, 101-89, on Sunday.
Marshall is entering its second season under head coach Dan D'Antoni, who is the older brother of veteran NBA head coach Mike D'Antoni. Dan was an assistant on Mike's Suns, Knicks and Lakers staffs from 2005-14.
Marshall averaged 13 3-pointers per game during the exhibition portion of its schedule, and it drained 16 triples in its victory over Bluefield State.
"(Marshall) made 16 threes in one of their (exhibition) games," Vols head coach Rick Barnes said. "So anybody that does that gets your attention. I've known Dan D'Antoni since my time at Clemson when we was coaching at Socastee High School in Myrtle Beach. I've spent time through the years going out, spending time with Dan and his brother, Mike, when they were with [the] Phoenix [Suns] and New York [Knicks]. Dan's been around a long time, knows what he's doing. I know his team is going to be prepared."
The Thundering Herd posted an 11-21 (7-1 CUSA) record last season and return four starters this year. The Conference USA coaches projected Marshall to finish ninth in the 14-team league race.
Marshall's "point forward," Ryan Taylor (14.1 ppg, 8.6 rpg in 2014-15), led Conference USA last season with 14 double-doubles, including a streak of seven straight.
Taylor is complemented in the post by sophomore juco transfer Terrence Thompson, who grabbed 17 rebounds and also added eight points in Marshall's exhibition vs. Newberry on Sunday.
"They're going to get down the floor with it," Barnes said. "They put you in a lot of situations where they try to put two on the ball, get the ball moving. They're going to take the shots when they're there. We're going to have to get back, get set, and really work hard at defending the 3-point line."
McGHEE MAKING AN IMPACT WITH HIS ENERGY
Though he's been at Tennessee for more than a year now, redshirt freshman forward Jabari McGhee is still in the infancy of his college basketball career. McGhee's 2014-15 campaign lasted just eight games before he suffered a season-ending foot fracture at NC State last December.
Having been a key contributor in UT's first two outings this season, the Albany, Georgia, native still has just 10 career games under his belt. Despite his inexperience, he ranks second on the team in steals (2.0 spg), third in rebounding (5.0 rpg) and fourth in scoring (9.5 ppg).
"Jabari McGhee has been terrific," Barnes said Wednesday. "He's had his career-highs [for points] in the last two games. What he's given us coming off the bench is exactly what you want. More than anything, it's the energy that he brings."
McGhee's best scoring output last season was eight points. In this year's opener vs. UNC Asheville, he scored nine. And Monday at Georgia Tech, his 10 points gave him his first career double-digit scoring performance.
In 37 high-energy minutes off the bench this season, McGhee has yet to commit a turnover.
HUBBS OFF TO QUICK START
Despite being limited in practice due to some nagging injuries, Robert Hubbs III is off to a fast start for the Vols. The junior guard is averaging 15.5 points per game over the first two games of the season and has found his way into double-digit scoring in both of those contests.
"Robert Hubbs, for a guy that has been limited in practice, is doing some really good things for us in games," Barnes said on Wednesday following Hubbs' 13-point performance at Georgia Tech. "I do think he gets winded because he doesn't get to practice. I do think he's trying as hard as he can. I want to get him healthy, because I think he could be a special player if we can get him healthy where he can get out and work."
For all of the oft-mentioned health setbacks, Hubbs continues to battle through and actually leads the Vols in minutes played this season. Through two games, the Newbern, Tennessee, native is averaging 33 minutes per game, including a career-best 36 minutes in Atlanta on Monday night. That average -- despite being based on a small sample size -- is a significant uptick from the 24.8 minutes per game he averaged as a sophomore.
Hubbs has been efficient from the floor in each of UT's games, going 8-of-12 en route to 18 points against UNC Asheville and 6-of-16 for 13 points at GT. Those numbers equate to 50 percent shooting from the field thus far. Hubbs has also taken care of the basketball, recording just one turnover in 66 minutes of action.
Dating back to last season, he has scored 81 points over Tennessee's last six games. That's an average of 13.5 ppg.
"Robert's a really good 15-and-in player," Barnes added. "I think he shoots the ball really well when he takes his time from the perimeter. I think he's got a beautiful shot. The more he can understand where he can be good, I think that's a big part of it. Players have to realize, `What am I really good at?' You've got to play to that. I think he's getting closer to realizing that."
