Tennessee will be without sophomore guard Ethan Burg on Sunday when they face Gardner-Webb, as the Vols announced he’s sidelined due to illness. It’s the first game Burg will miss this season, and the timing comes just before the team heads into its holiday break.
Through 11 games this year, Burg has carved out a steady role in Rick Barnes’ rotation. He’s averaging 3.5 points, 1.1 rebounds and logging just over 12 minutes a night.
While those numbers might not jump off the page, what stands out is his efficiency - shooting 40.7% from the field and an impressive 47.1% from deep (8-of-17). He’s also been perfect from the free-throw line, going 8-for-8, and has made one start in his first season in Knoxville.
Tipoff for Sunday’s matchup between No. 20 Tennessee (8-3) and Gardner-Webb (2-12) is set for 3 p.m.
ET at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center. The game will stream on SEC Network+, with Andy Brock on the call and former Vol Steve Hamer providing analysis.
Burg’s absence is notable not just because of his growing role, but because he’s coming off his most complete outing of the season. Earlier this week, he played 12 solid minutes in Tennessee’s dominant 83-62 win over No.
11 Louisville. Burg scored five points on 2-of-4 shooting, knocked down a three, and added an assist and a steal.
His +11 plus-minus in that game tells the story - he made a tangible impact on both ends.
Rick Barnes liked what he saw.
“I thought he played the way we need him to play,” Barnes said after the game. “He wasn’t too anxious.
That’s what’s hurt him. He did it once tonight - gets the ball and starts dribbling with nowhere to go.
But he made a great post feed, where in the past he would’ve just put his head down. Made a nice layup off a little action we ran at the end of the half.
And defensively, I thought he worked.”
Burg’s journey to Tennessee is a unique one. The 6-foot-3, 199-pound guard hails from Mishmar HaShiv'a, Israel, and joined the Vols in July after two seasons of professional basketball with Bnei PenLink Herzliya. There, he averaged 11 points per game and shot 32.9% from three - numbers that hinted at the kind of shooter and playmaker he could become in the college game.
His transition hasn’t been without its challenges. Barnes admitted he’s been tough on the sophomore recently, even mentioning a 40-minute phone call they had to clear the air and set expectations.
“He’s getting better,” Barnes said. “It’s been a tough 10 days for him.
I’ve been hard on him. Told him exactly what I felt, how I felt, and what I thought he needed to do.
He came out and he responded.”
That response has shown up in flashes. Burg made his lone start of the season back on Nov. 12 against North Florida, tallying two points, three assists, and two boards. In the game just before that, he poured in eight points on a perfect 2-for-2 from three and dished out three assists in a win over Northern Kentucky.
But his best scoring night came on Nov. 17 against Rice, when he dropped a season-high 11 points, going 3-of-5 from beyond the arc while adding four rebounds and three assists. That game showed what he’s capable of when he’s in rhythm and playing within the system.
Now, with Burg temporarily out, the Vols will look to maintain momentum without one of their key depth pieces. Assistant coach Steve McClain made it clear what the next step is for Burg when he returns: consistency.
“Sustain it,” McClain said Friday. “It can’t be a one-day thing, it can’t be every other day.
Hopefully he saw that sustaining it for nine days in practice carried over to the game. Now we sustain it for two great practices before the next game.
That’s maturity. That’s him learning.”
It’s clear the coaching staff sees potential in Burg - not just as a shooter, but as a player who can make smart decisions, defend, and execute the offense. The message is simple: keep stacking good days. And when he’s back, Tennessee will be counting on him to pick up right where he left off.