University of Tennessee Athletics
Richardson, Vols Seek Bounce Back Week
February 09, 2015 | Men's Basketball
By Brian Rice an Katie Van Veghel
UTSports.com
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Josh Richardson averaged 16 points over two games last week, slightly above his season average.
Under normal circumstances, that would be a number that would have him in the conversation for SEC Player of the Week and looking forward to continuing the run as the Volunteers head to Vanderbilt Wednesday night.
But last week was no normal circumstance for Richardson and Tennessee. The senior poured in a career-best 30 points, but was one of only two players in double figures in a home loss to Mississippi State.
Saturday, three Vols scored in double figures at Georgia. Richardson was not among them. He was 1-for-13 from the field, misfiring on his first 11 attempts for two points in a narrow loss at Georgia.
"He has been fantastic all year long," head coach Donnie Tyndall said of Richardson. "We don't evaluate guys as shots made or shots attempted. Like I've said all year long, he had four assists, five rebounds, three or four steals, so he did other things to help our team. Unfortunately, the shots didn't go down."
Still, with the game on the line, it was Richardson's hands where Tyndall wanted the ball. And he nearly delivered as a game-tying 3-pointer rimmed out in the game's final seconds.
"People that would criticize that shot haven't ever played when the ball's in a scramble and it comes off the rim and three guys are flying at you and you're not sure how much time is left," Tyndall explained. "As a coach today, I'll point out to Josh, Robert [Hubbs] was open on the right wing and Kevin [Punter] was open on the left wing, but when two guys are flying at you and you're just worried about getting one up before the buzzer goes off, that's a lot more easily said than done."
Richardson has had to carry the load all season. He leads the Vols in minutes, averaging 35.3 per game, nearly five minutes more per game than anyone else on the roster.
"I've tried to get him out but you take him out for thirty seconds, and it seems like the complexion of the game could change real quickly with a turnover or bad decision and it's a five point swing," said Tyndall. "You feel like you have to get him back in there."
And Tyndall believes that his leader will be ready to bounce back on Wednesday night.
"He's a resilient guy," Tyndall said of Richardson. "He's played in a bunch of big games. He's had his ups and his downs like everybody has. He'll come in the gym today with a smile on his face, ready to work."
A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE
The layout of Memorial Gymnasium in Nashville poses a unique challenge for Vanderbilt's opponents, particularly for coaches.
The team benches are at the ends, under the basket. The floorplan has been credited with some of the "Memorial Magic" over the years, but Tyndall attributes the Commodores success at home more to the team and the coach seated on the opposing bench, rather than its location.
"I think a lot of people make a big emphasis about coaching from the end line," Tyndall said. "But, let's be honest, they have a great coach in coach (Kevin) Stallings, and they have had great players for years and years. They have great crowds to get into the games. That's what makes it hard, the great coaches, the great players, and the challenging environment more so than coaching from the end line."
Tyndall has coached in Memorial before, both as an assistant at LSU and as head coach at Morehead State in 2008. He will don the traditional Tennessee orange jacket for this trip to Nashville.
"We understand it's a huge rivalry game," said Tyndall. "Both fan bases will be very excited. I am sure it will be a passionate and electric environment in there on Wednesday. We will have to play very well to give ourselves a chance to win."
ON THE PERIMETER
With Tennessee's lack of size up front, Tyndall's offense has to be perimeter-oriented. When UT struggled to make jumpers from outside the lane against Georgia, it was even more difficult for players to drive the lane and get to the rim.
"When teams shrink the floor like Georgia does it really makes it hard for you to get inside the paint," Tyndall said. "You've got to make a few jump shots to stretch the defense and we didn't make a lot of jump shots in that game."
Tennessee struggled from 3-point range against the Bulldogs. In the first half of Saturday's matchup, the Vols went 1-of-7 from 3-point range and finished the game 5-for-18.
In order to make it through these big opponents, Tyndall stresses that players need to utilize open teammates on the court to score more points and increase their strength on offense.
"At the end of the play you've got to be able to score through or over the second defender," said Tyndall. "When guys are 6-10, 6-11, changing or blocking those shots, it's easier said than done."
ASSESSING THE DEFENSE
Tennessee's overall defense has been impressive overall this season, forcing opponents into more than 14 turnovers per game.
Though the Volunteers have forced opponents into mistakes with the ball, Mississippi State and Georgia each shot better than 50 percent from the field, a notable blemish on a solid defensive resume.
"I think the biggest thing we're not doing is guarding the paint both from a post standpoint," Tyndall said. "We're not getting the post fronted as often as we should."
Tariq Owens and Willie Carmichael III have faced tough matchups in the lane, each undersized against top SEC front lines. Those positions have made defending the perimeter more difficult for Richardson and Kevin Punter.
"Those guys have got to lock in and guard the dribble, particularly late in the shot clock, better than they have the last few games," Tyndall said.
