Three Quick Takeaways: Tennessee Bludgeons Mississippi State | Rocky Top Insider

Julian Phillips’ pump faked earlier than pulling the set off on a three-pointer that bounced off almost each inch of the rim earlier than falling via the web. It was that sort of evening for Tennessee basketball.

Tennessee (12-2, 2-0 SEC) made nine-of-14 first half three-point makes an attempt on its solution to opening up a 24-point halftime benefit in its, 87-53, route of Mississippi State (12-3, 0-2 SEC) Tuesday evening at Thompson-Boling Area.

Right here’s three fast takeaways on a dram free win.

Tennessee’s Begin Units The Tone For The Night time

In shades of final season’s win over Arizona, Tennessee was dominant out the gates. The Vols scored the sport’s first 16 factors, taking the 16-0 benefit into the primary media timeout.

Santiago Vescovi — who’s damaged out of a uncommon capturing hunch within the final three video games — was improbable out the gate, making three triples within the recreation’s opening moments. He wasn’t the one Vol firing triples to open the sport.

Tyreke Key took two within the opening three minutes and made one— one thing Vols’ coach Rick Barnes has been imploring him to do in latest weeks.

The Vols turned protection into offense to open the sport. Tennessee’s elite protection hounded an inside-out Mississippi State scoring offense and capitalized on 4 Bulldogs turnovers within the recreation’s first 5 minutes by getting open seems earlier than Mississippi State may set its stout half courtroom protection.

Opening up a large lead was notably helpful because of the Bulldogs’ defensive mindset and struggles to attain constantly. Due to that, Mississippi State had no run like Arizona had a season in the past and Thompson-Boling Area. The sport’s first 5 minutes set the tone for the remainder of the evening.

Extra From RTI: Josiah-Jordan James Returns To The Lineup In opposition to Mississippi State

Good Luck Beating Tennessee When They Shoot Like That

Rick Barnes likes to remind the media that each basketball group in America seems good when photographs are falling. And 12 video games into Tennessee’s season photographs haven’t typically been falling.

However they have been falling at Thompson-Boling Area Tuesday. They have been falling at a fee that would go away any group within the nation befuddled about what to do to beat these Vols.

Tennessee shot 64% from three within the first half and even after cooling off to a sustainable capturing proportion within the second half, the Vols made 12-of-21 (57%) three-point makes an attempt within the win.

As common, Santiago Vescovi led the way in which for the three-point capturing barrage, making four-of-eight makes an attempt from deep on his solution to scoring a team-high 14 factors.

Nonetheless, Vescovi was simply considered one of 5 Tennessee gamers to make triples and the opposite 4 all shot at a 40% clip or higher. Zeigler was handiest from deep, making three-of-five makes an attempt.

Barnes is correct. Offense seems very easy when three-pointers are falling. With the protection that Tennessee performs, good luck going through them on an evening photographs do fall.

Julian Phillips Finds His Rhythm

It had been a quiet few weeks for Julian Phillips. After reaching double digits scoring in seven of his first 10 collegiate video games hadn’t in his earlier 4 video games.

The five-star freshman tallied his eighth double-digit scoring efficiency in opposition to Mississippi State, totaling 11 factors on an environment friendly five-of-six capturing from the sphere.

Phillips scored off of offensive rebounds, dunked on good cuts and even acquired simply his fifth three of the season to fall— the jumper talked about within the lede.

It was a robust offensive evening from almost each Vol however Phillips effectivity notably stood. The Phillips Tennessee acquired in opposition to Mississippi State wasn’t a celebrity however he was a participant that may present an offensive enhance. For a group that’s inconsistent offensively, that’s maybe a very powerful factor they want from the freshman.

Granted, Phillips’ offense was removed from his solely contribution on the evening. The 6-foot-8 wing tallied a team-high seven rebounds within the win.

Ultimate Stats

Up Subsequent

Tennessee heads on the highway Saturday to face South Carolina in Columbia. Tip-off from Colonial Life Area is at 3:30 p.m. ET. The SEC Community is broadcasting the sport.