Joe Robbins - Getty Images
Ladies and gentlemen, Jarnell Stokes (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
Exhale. The Vols looked dominant at times and looked ready to fall apart at times, but a huge day from Jarnell Stokes helped Tennessee hold off a late rally from red hot Jeremy Lamb and the Connecticut Huskies 60-57 at Thompson-Boling Arena.
In front of a rabid crowd that drew awe from the CBS announcers and the UConn play by play announcer, on We Back Pat day in Knoxville, and against one of the Lady Vols' biggest rivals and the defending men's national champions, Stokes simply took over, with 16 points, 13 rebounds, and 2 blocks. He out-dueled the projected #1 pick in the 2012 NBA draft in UConn's Andre Drummond, who had just 6 points and 8 rebounds.
The first half was a bruising battle, with both teams led by two big bodies in their starting frontcourt, but the referees let them play, and the two teams combined for just seven first half free throws. Trae Golden and Jeronne Maymon combined to go just 0 of 7 in the first half, but Tennessee was led by eight points from Cameron Tatum and six from Stokes to stay within two, as an impressive driving layup from Jeremy Lamb in the final seconds put UConn up 27-25 at the half.
But in the second half, Tennessee came out firing. Tatum made another three, Stokes hit a layup, and Jeronne Maymon made his first two buckets of the game, and a 9-0 Volunteer run was good for a 34-27 lead with 16:27 to play.
And then Tennessee stopped scoring. McBee missed an open look. Tatum airballed an open three of his own. Kenny Hall missed a slam dunk. Tennessee would go more than six minutes of game time (twenty minutes real time) without a point until a Stokes free throw at 10:19 gave them 35-33 lead. That's right, a lead. That is CuonzoBall. Where Tennessee can go more than six minutes without a point but still lead at the end, allowing their opponents just six points in that stretch. After the game, Martin said "This is the way Tennessee will defend as long as I'm a part of this program." And he'll get no complaints from us.
But, while CuonzoBall's defensive merits have been obvious since the start of SEC play, Tennessee's offense needed a little Stoking. From 10:19 to 7:10, Jarnell Stokes had six of the Vols' eight points (the other two coming on a Kenny Hall slam off a missed Stokes free throw), delivering energy to an offense suffering a period of stagnation. A Skylar McBee three followed, and Tennessee looked well on their way with an eight point lead and seven minutes to play.
But missed Tennessee free throws--and Jeremy Lamb--would bring the Huskies back. Tennessee started just 2 of 10 from the line, with 2 of 7 Stokes the major culprit. And Lamb, who would finish with 23 points on 17 shots, wouldn't go away. After Alex Oreaki Oriaki Oar Eee Aah Key Oriakhi, UConn's other strong inside presence, fouled out, Tennessee ran their lead to 10, and it looked as though UConn was done.
But then Lamb made two free throws. And then Lamb made a layup. And the lead was at six with a minute to play, and the game was again in doubt. All Tennessee had to do was miss free throws and the game would be UConn's for the taking. But the Vols, who, I repeat, started 2 of 10 from the line, made 6 of their next 7. Stokes hit two, Golden hit one, and after two ridiculous, off balance three point shots from Lamb and Shabazz Napier cut the lead to two, Skylar McBee made a clutch pair, giving the Vols a 58-54 lead with 19 seconds left.
UConn would hit another three, and Tennessee would miss two more free throws (one each from Tatum and Hall), giving the Huskies a chance to tie at the buzzer, but a halfcourt shot hit the backboard and bounded harmlessly away from the rim, and the Vols won for the seventh time in their last nine attempts against defending national champions, moving to 9-10 on the season.
Stokes 16 points led the team, with Tatum's 15 (on 4 of 7 from beyond the arc) providing strong support. No other Vol reached double figures, but Maymon and McBee each netted a key eight. Stokes also led the way on the glass with 13, with Maymon adding eight and Hall six. Golden, despite just two points on 0 of 4 from the floor and just 2 of 5 from the line, had 6 assists to just 2 turnovers. On defense, the Vols held UConn to just 36.4% from the field (with only Lamb shooting better than 40%), while Tennessee shot 41.5%.
This is a Lady Vols thing here at Rocky Top Talk, but on We Back Pat day, it's only appropriate. Breadsticks of the game go to Jarnell Stokes. After the game, Tim Brando called him "one of the most impressive freshman I've ever seen" (never mind that he should be a senior in high school). And that's enough to make our own sweet mother of breadsticks proud.
Tennessee is back in action Tuesday night in Demon Memorial Gym against Vanderbilt. Join us here. And don't talk about the NCAA Tournament.
0 recs | 106 comments
This team really looks like a tournament team. ;-)
bobothevol - January 21, 2012
*smack* whatever man
wooooooooooooooooooooooo! we won!!!!!!!!
Incipient_Senescence - January 21, 2012
NBA PLAYOFFS OR BUST
WAIT>>> IF WE WIN THIS DO WE GET TO BE TEAM USA IN THE OLYMPICS?!!
Caban - January 21, 2012
NOPE, WE WILL BE TEAM WORLD vs. THE AVATAR B-BALL TEAM
;)
VolfanatETSU - January 21, 2012
what about the MonStars?
too old fashioned?
Incipient_Senescence - January 21, 2012
Welcome to the Stokes Jam?
bobothevol - January 21, 2012
already happened
Ya didn’t know? The 1980 US Olympic Ice Hockey team was actually time-travelling Tennesse Vols. With a couple players from the Futurama Harlem Globetrotters thrown in, too.
falconnuke - January 21, 2012
Nice write up I-S
well done
aurabass - January 21, 2012
thanks
I was afraid my write-ups got too long. But I felt like this one deserved it
Incipient_Senescence - January 21, 2012
You know I like long - particularly about the GOOD things
and this game was a great sign for the Vols
aurabass - January 21, 2012
Long is good
kidbourbon - January 22, 2012 via iPhone app
That was fun.
Thank you to the scheduling gods (TV) for allowing us to have a game at a time that parents with kids who play sports could attend for the first time in a while.
birdjam - January 21, 2012 via mobile
How you like us now Huskies?
Punks.
danmarcel - January 21, 2012
HOWYALIKEMENOWGOLDTEETHINMYSMILETRYTOTAKEMEOUTTHEGHETTOBUTI'MSTILLBUCKWILD.
imma hang up an listen
VolBrian - January 21, 2012
But Terrrryyyyyy
Looks like Counzo has won over these fans…. I wonder what JC has to say about this.
imma hang up and listen
falconnuke - January 21, 2012
nice
kidbourbon - January 22, 2012 via iPhone app
Also
I’ve visited quite a few of the opposing teams’ game threads this year, and the unifying theme is how all of them talk about their offense sucking when they play us. Guess what champ? It’s not you, it’s us.
danmarcel - January 21, 2012
I just finished reading their thread
and noticed the same thing. our defense done got real good real fast.
Incipient_Senescence - January 21, 2012
I love the Gammut of Emotions.
“LAWL 8-10 TEAM ON NATIONAL TV YZ PLZ” to
“We can’t make a freaking close shot” to
“HAHA We Have Lamb and You Don’t!” to
“OMG WE HAVE NO OFFENSE” to
“WTF WAI THEY LOVE STOKES SO MUCH?!” to
“OMG We Have Lamb and You Don’t” to
“Well at least Duke lost.”
But the UConnBlog gave us a nice shout-out at the end, and I can understand their pain.
bobothevol - January 21, 2012
though they were right on Brando
he was calling Vol domination when I saw no Vol domination. And he mentioned our wonderful crowd several times. It’s hard to avoid talking about Stokes though
Incipient_Senescence - January 21, 2012
Stokes
And the way the Vols have played during this stretch, will make them the media darling no matter who they play.
bobothevol - January 21, 2012
I was impressed
by a group of UConn fans who traveled by bus and essentially bought out a single section of the upper deck. They never really had reason to get loud after the first media timeout, but the commitment was noteworthy.
Will Shelton - January 21, 2012
sounds it
btw, apparently the UConn pbp guy said TBA was way louder than any Big East arena
Incipient_Senescence - January 21, 2012
Not sure if I believe that
Did they make TBA louder?
kidbourbon - January 22, 2012 via iPhone app
not really
I mean, there was one or two UConn chants going on in some early moments, but they were more or less silent or drowned out the whole game.
Definitely when there were “iffy at best” calls, it got super-loud in there.
falconnuke - January 22, 2012
Even with some crappy games this year
according to the radio the other day (TIFWIW), we are still top-10 in attendance this year. Taking the 2010 results and just sliding us down, that only puts Louisville and Syracuse ahead of us. Syracuse’s dome is giant, so that probably hurts volume level… Not sure about Louisville.
VolfanatETSU - January 22, 2012
They announced 21something thousand today
and it was pretty close to that
Will Shelton - January 22, 2012
it was on twitter, retweeted by one of our beat guys
I was skeptical too, although I suppose the sheer size of TBA helps. Not that it’s any bigger than the friggin Carrier Dome
Incipient_Senescence - January 22, 2012
I think Cam Tatum said after the game
that the Crowd was “like the crowd his first few years here.” Could just be referring to the patheticness of this season’s turnouts, at times.
bobothevol - January 22, 2012
last year was really pathetic too, almost all year
although we did draw well when GameDay came in against Vandy.
The last time we had a pair of great crowds in one season would’ve been Tatum’s sophomore year when we beat Kansas and Kentucky. Although Tatum was suspended for the former
Incipient_Senescence - January 22, 2012
He would've been in the arena, though, right?
Chris Pendley - January 22, 2012
I'm not sure
did the guns/drugs crowd go to the arena during their suspensions? They weren’t on the bench at least
Incipient_Senescence - January 22, 2012
they can't match
ESS EEE CEE VOLUME BABY
danmarcel - January 22, 2012
Whooo!
Go Vols!!!!
S-E-C! S-E-C! S-E-C! S-E-C!
falconnuke - January 22, 2012
Just found this on UT's facebook page
from the postgame:
Will Shelton - January 22, 2012
I do believe Dooley owes the BasketVols a trip to Sizzler.
That win was huuuuuuuuuge and crowd incredible on another big football recruiting weekend.
VolBrian - January 21, 2012
complete with breadsticks of course.
with a big ol’ filet for Cuonzo for getting these boys to play great Defense.
RockyTopinKY - January 21, 2012
It does my heart proud to see the Breadsticks award.
Going to Stokes. Well-deserved.
RockyTopinKY - January 21, 2012
Wow...didn't realize how far back the Vols are in the rpi ratings...
they have alot of ground to make up.
chuckiepoo - January 21, 2012
we were something like 276 before the Florida win
Incipient_Senescence - January 21, 2012
game at a time...
All they gotta do is win the next game, and then after that win the next game…
falconnuke - January 21, 2012
1-0...just for today, brother.
chuckiepoo - January 21, 2012
RPI is silly
kidbourbon - January 22, 2012 via iPhone app
"the rabid crowd" draw ire from CBS?
what do they expect, us to sit on our hands and start UConn chants?
falconnuke - January 21, 2012
"awe"
Not “ire”.
danmarcel - January 21, 2012
oops, read "ire"
It is UT. Of course UT is going to get fired up for a game against UConn.
falconnuke - January 21, 2012
CBS loves us...
and always has.
They are the yin to ESPN’s yang
Caban - January 21, 2012
CBS loves them some SEC....
period.
chuckiepoo - January 21, 2012
I want Jarnell Stokes to sing at my next wedding.
That’s all I got. Go freaking Vols.
GhostDance - January 21, 2012 via Android app
He can sing, too?
chuckiepoo - January 21, 2012
I liked this comment. Would Rec it, but I'm mobile.
kidbourbon - January 22, 2012 via iPhone app
something I saw in the CBS postgame
Vols had 9 turnovers in the first half, one in the second. Big difference
Incipient_Senescence - January 21, 2012
Simply huge...
chuckiepoo - January 21, 2012
Mississippi State started the second half on a 16-2 run in Memorial
hope we can do the same on Tuesday.
Incipient_Senescence - January 21, 2012
Now their lead is down to 3.
In what seemed like 1:30.
RockyTopinKY - January 21, 2012
well, their lead only got up to 6 or 8
they were waaaaaay behind at half
Incipient_Senescence - January 21, 2012
and Vandy ties it with 32 seconds to play
Incipient_Senescence - January 21, 2012
OT.
Wear em down/out MSU.
RockyTopinKY - January 21, 2012
So is Vandy's loss
good for us?
TwoStrangers - January 21, 2012
ANY Vandy loss is a good thing...
chuckiepoo - January 21, 2012
well, that
but with us playing them in a couple days. . .
Incipient_Senescence - January 21, 2012
We seem to play the underdog role to the teeth.
chuckiepoo - January 21, 2012
no idea
the emotional nature of the game (big comeback, OT, came down to last shot) will hopefully wear them down a bit. but who knows. we still have to play a half without any coaching. and with a dumb team, that’s bad
Incipient_Senescence - January 21, 2012
Hold on
Is I_S acknowledging limitations on his trusty “situational play”?
kidbourbon - January 22, 2012 via iPhone app
MSU wins by a point
hopefully the demon gym can be vanquished again on Tuesday
Incipient_Senescence - January 21, 2012
Cuonzo just landed in Memphis for recruiting.
Hardworkin’man.
RockyTopinKY - January 21, 2012
You know Stokes had to have played with some talented kids in AAU...
chuckiepoo - January 21, 2012
Hopefully a real...do I dare, POINT GUARD???
chuckiepoo - January 21, 2012
Point guard...?
hmm, never heard of it. Is that a new type of foward?
falconnuke - January 21, 2012
Who needs a point guard?
Sounds like a cheap version of a shooting guard. Trololol :p
VolfanatETSU - January 21, 2012
YEAH
WHAT WE NEED IS A POINTS GUARD AMIRITE?
danmarcel - January 21, 2012
...twitter'd
#Tennessee’s Chris Lofton was voted the #1 3-PT shooter in the last 25 years… Who would you put at the top? #25YEARSOFTHE3
chuckiepoo - January 21, 2012
well-deserving
I voted him #1
Incipient_Senescence - January 21, 2012
Jim Calhoun was not amused
Here’s his opening statement in the postgame presser:
“First thing, congratulations to Cuonzo (Martin), who I recruited. He was a great kid and, obviously, he’s evolved into a coach. He’s done something we haven’t done – he’s gotten his kids to play hard. We’re not playing very hard.
“It was a physical game, very well-officiated in my opinion. I had no problem with the officiating whatsoever. It was very good. They allowed the game to be physical and they were more physical than us and, thus, they won the game.
“We have no post setup. I’ve been talking about that. They made some big plays and defended us pretty well. Mainly they just dug, scratched and clawed, which was exactly what we said they were doing. The first thing a coach needs when he gets a program – I don’t think Cuonzo needs my advice; I’m not very much in a position to give advice about teams playing hard – his culture is developing. We thought on tape they played very hard and they played harder than we did. That’s how they won the game.”
Will Shelton - January 21, 2012
Love frustrating the big boys
Nice quotes from Calhoun…I think Cuonzo is earning some respect from the coaches..makes me wonder when this will start spilling into recruiting. I mean if a kid like Stokes comes here and talks about how much he loves it so far, that’s got to influence some high school kids right?
Solid Orange - January 21, 2012
I imagine it will
but basketball is even worse than football as far as needing to get on kids early. I’ve heard rumors that when Cuonzo got here, he immediately set to work on the 2014 class. That’s his fourth recruiting class.
Incipient_Senescence - January 21, 2012
I think it was USC
that offered some kid who was still in middle school…. ridiculous.
falconnuke - January 21, 2012
yeah
it was my cousin
Incipient_Senescence - January 21, 2012
Recruiting is alot like dominoes...
set them up, knock over the first one, them watch them fall. Zo’s got this…
chuckiepoo - January 21, 2012
Nice quote
I have a lot of respect for Calhoun. He is a great coach.
kidbourbon - January 22, 2012 via iPhone app
Start keeping a log of these quotes from great coaches after playing ZoVols
Calhoun’s quote is good, but Coach K saying “Cuonzo is a d*** good coach” is one for the history books, even if it’s not great to post on a Sunday morning.
memphispete - January 22, 2012
unless your sermon is on Paul
he used some, shall we say, evocative language.
That or Ezekiel.
Incipient_Senescence - January 22, 2012
Well said in the reply and well written in the main post. The man is on FIRE
memphispete - January 22, 2012
Ezekiel 25:17
kidbourbon - January 22, 2012 via iPhone app
Must carry
the BMF wallet to evoke that scripture.
GhostDance - January 22, 2012 via Android app
one final thought before bed
I think one of the biggest keys for this team is to get Tatum a made three in the first couple minutes. Get one, and he’s a gritty defender, an able distributor, and a good shooter. Fail to hit one, and you might as well sit him down on the bench for the rest of the game. Mental toughness is huge for him. Glad we saw Good Tates today
Incipient_Senescence - January 21, 2012
Gee. Who have we seen like this before?
Hint: he reminded me of one of Joel’s dogs.
Chris Pendley - January 22, 2012
the difference being that he needed a drive/dunk, not a three
but yeah, this isn’t exactly new
Incipient_Senescence - January 22, 2012
Congratulations - You all played one hell of a good game
Stokes is the real deal and you’re very fortunate to have him. From what I understand he isn’t a one and done player and will be back next season..? If you all can straighten out you’re point guard problem, you’ll be a awesome team next year. Of course if you play for the rest of the season like you did against us and UConn you’ll make the NCAA tournament this year. Just don’t win at our place, run the table otherwise.
KansasUKCat - January 22, 2012
thanks
Stokes is likely a 1.5 and done player, but he’s not eligible for the NBA draft until the year after his HS class graduates. Since he was an early enrollee, that means it’s 1.5 years from when he graduates.
We have what looks to be a really good point lined up for 2013, but next year is still a huge question mark. I tend to agree, with a point guard, we could actually be good
Incipient_Senescence - January 22, 2012
FWIW
There’s nothing saying Stokes will only be a 1.5 year player: he will be back next year, but I’ve heard it said around here and there that he might be staying for longer. Of course, he’s much more polished than most people thought he would be, at this point.
bobothevol - January 22, 2012
he said he wants his degree
but we’ll see what happens when he’s projected in the top five after next season
Incipient_Senescence - January 22, 2012
O/T:
anyone else watching soccer this morning?
Chris Pendley - January 22, 2012
I chose sleeping in past the first half of the first game
and church will keep me from the rest. Go Team Playing Man U
Incipient_Senescence - January 22, 2012
although, on the subject of soccer
don’t know if you saw that the US had our Camp Cupcake friendly last night, but Rico Clark scored in the EIGHTH minute of stoppage time for a 1-0. Venezuela’s keeper had a great game. I’m not sure our keeper ever touched the ball.
Incipient_Senescence - January 22, 2012
Hamid had a couple of touches.
Yeah, I don’t care, I was happy to see Hamid getting PT in a game period. Y’all are gonna like him. Wildly athletic (relies too much on his athletic talents, though, but DC United hasn’t had much help in front of him), commands the box, swears around field mics …basically a copy of Howard.
Chris Pendley - January 22, 2012
The Vols dominated physically and on the hustle plays. Honestly, should have been a 15 point blowout
if we had an average FT day and no six minute holiday on the offensive end.
Not much difference between this game and the Kentucky game. A few small hustle plays and a key shot here or there meant plus-3 instead of minus-3 on the scoreboard.
I like Zo.
memphispete - January 22, 2012
I think the nicest thing about all of this
Is that Stokes wasn’t really a defensive liability when he was in. He played for 29 minutes yesterday — I asked, after Kentucky, where this team would be if Stokes could play 25-30 minutes per game, and if this isn’t an outlier in his fatigue level and abilities, then I’m excited.
bobothevol - January 22, 2012
I guess eating a little crow is in order. I gave you guys zero chance of beating UCONN.......
I stand corrected. An amazing game all around.
You land another Stokes and you are fighting for an SEC championship.
Greg Alan Edwards - January 22, 2012
except make the 2nd one a point guard. haha
thanks
Incipient_Senescence - January 22, 2012
...wait...we haz no point guard?
;- )
chuckiepoo - January 22, 2012
What IS a point guard? That guy we had when Lofton was playing?
memphispete - January 22, 2012
I want a Lofton
Caban - January 22, 2012
Congratulations, Vols. Great victory.
I’ll have you know I was cheering hard for you guys. Outstanding.
Very happy for y’all.
Glenn Logan - January 22, 2012
Thanks Glenn
Will Shelton - January 22, 2012
Good stuff
#ConferencePride
Craig T - January 22, 2012
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