Tennessee’s preseason work is down to the final stretch, and the latest practice session offered a clear look at where the Vols stand before next Tuesday’s opener against Wofford.
For starters, the availability picture looked much cleaner. Juke Harris and Terrence Hill Jr. both sat out the exhibition against Davidson last weekend, but both were back on the floor.
Hill, who injured his ankle at Duke just over a week ago, didn’t appear limited while the media watched practice. Harris was dealing with a back issue.
Tyler Lundblade, who had a back procedure this offseason, was also fully active and played against Davidson. Jalen Washington remains involved in practice too, though he is still ineligible.
The day began with Tennessee working on pick-and-roll defense, a point of emphasis Rick Barnes has already raised after the exhibitions. He wants his guards fighting through ball screens instead of dropping under them, and the group seemed to absorb that message quickly.
Lundblade and Miles Rubin were two of the biggest standouts in the secret scrimmage against Davidson, and both carried that momentum into Thursday’s work. Lundblade’s shooting range was on full display again.
His release is so quick that he needs only a small window to get a shot off, and that kind of spacing gravity can change how everything else functions around him. That was already starting to show in five-on-five work.
He also handled his shot selection well, taking what came to him without forcing things after a couple of tough makes.
Rubin, meanwhile, is carrying a heavy load with Washington still unavailable. He’s Tennessee’s starting center right now, so the rebounds and rim protection matter every possession.
On Thursday, he flashed some real work on the offensive glass and showed soft touch near the rim. Defensively, he held up well against the other bigs and showed the ability to step out when the situation called for it.
Dai Dai Ames also looks like he’s closing the offseason strongly. He appears more comfortable creating with the ball and is settling in as a scorer.
With Hill missing time, Ames may have benefited from having more responsibility, and Thursday was another sign of that. He shot it well and still looks like a major part of Tennessee’s offensive plans.
Jalen Haralson, too, remains a key piece. Early in the process, he wasn’t always on the same page with Barnes, but that has changed.
He’s now helping teammates get where they need to be and was quick to recognize when something looked off on Thursday. His best offensive work comes in transition, and he can also hurt defenses as a cutter.
The biggest swing factor with him might be on the glass, where Tennessee could use his size and athleticism to produce more consistent rebounding from the wing.
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Jayshawn Mitchell has become one of the more intriguing running back names on Tennessees board, and the Volunteers are in the mix after extending a recent offer to the San Antonio standout. The William J. Brennan High School prospect has trimmed his recruitment to 15 schools, and Tennessee is suddenly part of a battle that should matter to fans keeping an eye on the next wave of backfield talent in Knoxville.
Mitchells rsum already gives plenty of programs a reason to keep coming back, and he has taken visits to several schools on his list as the process continues to tighten. Tennessee, meanwhile, has already landed commitments from other top running back targets and is still active on multiple high-profile fronts, which only adds to the sense that this race is far from settled. [Read more 🡒]
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Rick Barnes Just Framed Tennessees Biggest Opener Question
Terrence Hill Jr.s ankle injury has been the biggest thing hanging over Tennessee basketball since the exhibition at Duke, but there is at least some reason for optimism heading into the season opener. Rick Barnes said the point guard is expected to resume practice and could be in line to play against Wofford, which would be a welcome development for a team that has already seen how much Hill can matter when hes on the floor.
Hill arrived from VCU for his first season in Knoxville and had already emerged as a leading scorer in the exhibitions before the injury slowed him down. For Tennessee, the question now is less about his talent and more about how quickly he can get back into full rhythm after the recovery process, with the opener approaching and Barnes still managing the situation carefully. [Read more 🡒]