The remedy is simple for the Tennessee men's basketball team: start making more layups. An abundance of missed shots at the rim cost the Volunteers a Southeastern Conference game Saturday at Kentucky, a contest that Tennessee led by 14 points at halftime. The 74-71 loss also cost them a spot in the Top 25 rankings. When the Volunteers (16-7, 6-4 SEC) oppose Mississippi State (11-12, 3-7) on Wednesday night in Starkville, Miss., they will attempt to get back on track. "These guys will bounce back," Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said. "They have too much pride. They work too hard. Their work ethic is too good. We have not reached the ceiling with this team, and that's a good thing right now." Tennessee's shortcomings on finishing at the rim have been an issue throughout the season. The Volunteers' inability to convert Saturday -- Tennessee missed four of its seven layup attempts -- led to Tennessee's four-game winning streak ending. Freshman sensation Nate Ament has been doing his part for the Volunteers. He scored 28 points in a victory over Ole Miss last week and poured in 29 against Kentucky. In addition to missed layups, Ament lamented his team going just 17 of 25 (68%) at the...
- Log in to post comments
Link