University of Tennessee Athletics
Photo by: Andrew Ferguson/Tennessee Athletics
Perspective: Family Matters
December 02, 2019 | Men's Basketball
By Dom Palumbo, UTsports.com
Thanksgiving throughout the history of America is a time for people to spend with their families. Whether that's at home or at a loved one's, the time of year is meant to be spent with those you care for the most, accentuated by food, love and celebration.
For the Tennessee basketball family last week, the experience was slightly different.
In the always hectic college basketball season, there are no holidays. Thanksgiving means tournaments and invitationals, playing some of the best competition in the country to strengthen one's resume for the opportunity to play for it all come March.
This year was no different.
The Big Orange were given the opportunity to spend Thanksgiving in sunny Destin, Florida, to play in the Emerald Coast Classic in nearby Niceville.
The trip lasted four days and three nights during UT's Thanksgiving break.
Wednesday, with no classes in session, saw an early-morning practice, followed by a team meal in the locker room.
An hour later, it was wheels up for Florida—a state that freshman guard Davonte Gaines had never previously visited.
Upon landing, there was more work to be done and food to be eaten.
An in-depth film session followed the team's first dinner in the Sunshine State, with free time to relax and explore late into the evening.
As Wednesday turned into Thanksgiving, it brought the Vols a much-needed gap day, before the real games began on Friday.
A team breakfast and a light practice session, giving Tennessee its first look at Northwest Florida State College's Raider Arena filled the morning, while a family Thanksgiving dinner highlighted the agenda for the afternoon.
Some players had family in town to visit, while others had their teammates to lean on and laugh with while feasting on all of the Thanksgiving fixings. It was a meal symbolic of everything the sport of basketball can bless the life of a student-athlete with.
As the celebration ended, it was time to get back to work.
Friday's opponent: Florida State.
The Seminoles are a major-conference foe from the Atlantic Coast Conference, with size and athleticism the Vols hadn't seen thus far in 2019-20.
Both teams conducted a brief morning shootaround, then final preparations were made prior to tipoff.
From the outset, turnovers plagued UT.
The Vols fell into an early hole, and despite a late comeback, the Orange & White fell three points short of topping the Seminoles.
A quiet bus ride back to the hotel and a lesson-filled film session ended the evening.
It was back to work on Saturday.
With a quick turnaround, following breakfast was a short walkthrough, a study session on a talented and nationally-ranked VCU squad and then a few final moments of free time in the sunshine.
The squad loaded the bus and was set for an early 4 p.m. ET start against the Rams.
VCU, a team known for its ability to shoot and pressure on defense, flew out of the gates. However, the Vols were steady and stuck to what they do best, taking an 11-point lead into halftime.
Halftime adjustments fell in favor of the Rams who went on a signature second-half run and eventually took the lead with under seven minutes to play.
From that point on, it was a back-and-forth affair with the teams trading the lead on six occasions.
Then, with a 69-66 advantage, the Vols had their sixth win within reach before VCU knotted the score with less than two seconds to play.
One play. One shot. That's all the Vols had to avoid overtime.
Head coach Rick Barnes drew up a play with multiple options. Senior Lamonte Turner came off of junior John Fulkerson's screen, caught a picture-perfect pass in the corner from freshman Josiah-Jordan James and confidently nailed a falling-away, game-winning 3-pointer from the corner.
Pandemonium.
Turner was mobbed by his teammates as the Vol fans in attendance roared in jubilation.
The redshirt-senior has seen both ends of the spectrum—from being forced to redshirt during his first year on campus, to playing a supporting role on two of the best teams in program history.
Now, in his season to shine, Tennessee's locker room leader added to an already impressive legacy of unforgettably clutch shots.
It wasn't a perfect weekend, but at every turn the breakdown was always the same.
No matter the result, the guys who don the Orange & White huddle together, Turner offers a message and they break it down, "Family on three. One, two, three… Family."
From "One fly, we all fly," to playing Catan, to jamming out to Thanksgiving bangers, to pulling up on those bands in warmups, to sharing a family Thanksgiving meal... Tennessee's trip to Florida was special, not because of the games or the chance to play top-tier competition or the warm climate.
It was special because of the people.
As the calendar inches its way toward 2020, the Vols are building and strengthening a bond they must carry with them into conference play and the postseason.
Thanksgiving throughout the history of America is a time for people to spend with their families. Whether that's at home or at a loved one's, the time of year is meant to be spent with those you care for the most, accentuated by food, love and celebration.
For the Tennessee basketball family last week, the experience was slightly different.
In the always hectic college basketball season, there are no holidays. Thanksgiving means tournaments and invitationals, playing some of the best competition in the country to strengthen one's resume for the opportunity to play for it all come March.
This year was no different.
The Big Orange were given the opportunity to spend Thanksgiving in sunny Destin, Florida, to play in the Emerald Coast Classic in nearby Niceville.
The trip lasted four days and three nights during UT's Thanksgiving break.
Wednesday, with no classes in session, saw an early-morning practice, followed by a team meal in the locker room.
An hour later, it was wheels up for Florida—a state that freshman guard Davonte Gaines had never previously visited.
Upon landing, there was more work to be done and food to be eaten.
An in-depth film session followed the team's first dinner in the Sunshine State, with free time to relax and explore late into the evening.
As Wednesday turned into Thanksgiving, it brought the Vols a much-needed gap day, before the real games began on Friday.
A team breakfast and a light practice session, giving Tennessee its first look at Northwest Florida State College's Raider Arena filled the morning, while a family Thanksgiving dinner highlighted the agenda for the afternoon.
Some players had family in town to visit, while others had their teammates to lean on and laugh with while feasting on all of the Thanksgiving fixings. It was a meal symbolic of everything the sport of basketball can bless the life of a student-athlete with.
As the celebration ended, it was time to get back to work.
Friday's opponent: Florida State.
The Seminoles are a major-conference foe from the Atlantic Coast Conference, with size and athleticism the Vols hadn't seen thus far in 2019-20.
Both teams conducted a brief morning shootaround, then final preparations were made prior to tipoff.
From the outset, turnovers plagued UT.
The Vols fell into an early hole, and despite a late comeback, the Orange & White fell three points short of topping the Seminoles.
A quiet bus ride back to the hotel and a lesson-filled film session ended the evening.
It was back to work on Saturday.
With a quick turnaround, following breakfast was a short walkthrough, a study session on a talented and nationally-ranked VCU squad and then a few final moments of free time in the sunshine.
The squad loaded the bus and was set for an early 4 p.m. ET start against the Rams.
VCU, a team known for its ability to shoot and pressure on defense, flew out of the gates. However, the Vols were steady and stuck to what they do best, taking an 11-point lead into halftime.
Halftime adjustments fell in favor of the Rams who went on a signature second-half run and eventually took the lead with under seven minutes to play.
From that point on, it was a back-and-forth affair with the teams trading the lead on six occasions.
Then, with a 69-66 advantage, the Vols had their sixth win within reach before VCU knotted the score with less than two seconds to play.
One play. One shot. That's all the Vols had to avoid overtime.
Head coach Rick Barnes drew up a play with multiple options. Senior Lamonte Turner came off of junior John Fulkerson's screen, caught a picture-perfect pass in the corner from freshman Josiah-Jordan James and confidently nailed a falling-away, game-winning 3-pointer from the corner.
Pandemonium.
Turner was mobbed by his teammates as the Vol fans in attendance roared in jubilation.
The redshirt-senior has seen both ends of the spectrum—from being forced to redshirt during his first year on campus, to playing a supporting role on two of the best teams in program history.
Now, in his season to shine, Tennessee's locker room leader added to an already impressive legacy of unforgettably clutch shots.
It wasn't a perfect weekend, but at every turn the breakdown was always the same.
No matter the result, the guys who don the Orange & White huddle together, Turner offers a message and they break it down, "Family on three. One, two, three… Family."
From "One fly, we all fly," to playing Catan, to jamming out to Thanksgiving bangers, to pulling up on those bands in warmups, to sharing a family Thanksgiving meal... Tennessee's trip to Florida was special, not because of the games or the chance to play top-tier competition or the warm climate.
It was special because of the people.
As the calendar inches its way toward 2020, the Vols are building and strengthening a bond they must carry with them into conference play and the postseason.
Players Mentioned
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