Last season, the high-flying duo of Grant Williams and Robert Hubbs III carried Tennessee offensively.
Both players flourished in an offensive scheme that showcased their abilities and played to their strengths.
This season, the Vols will be without top scorer Robert Hubbs, who graduated in the spring.
The loss of Hubbs will surely present a challenge for the Volunteer offense; however, it will simultaneously open the door for another Volunteer, maybe two or three, to step in and fill the void.
Looking at UT’s returning cast, it is evident that the squad has enough firepower returning (and coming in) to not only mirror last year’s performance, but to exceed the expectations placed upon the team for the upcoming season.
Robert Hubbs’ departure will cost Tennessee 13.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game — not to mention the energy, consistent free-throw shooting, and leadership he provided.
In spite of that, Tennessee is returning a sizable portion of its offensive output.
Jordan Bone, Jordan Bowden, Lamonte Turner, and Admiral Schofield combined to average 31.5 points per game last season.
All four players will return for the 2017-18 season.
Combine that with Grant Williams’ 12.6 points per game, and it becomes clear that Tennessee is retaining well over half of its offensive production from last year.
When glancing at the numbers, one may assume that Tennessee’s offensive production will stay the same or increase from last season.
However, it is important to note that only one returning player – Grant Williams – averaged more than ten points per game.
Great teams need leaders, and Tennessee is a solid example of a team who is searching for more leadership.
A player like Bone, Bowden, Schofield, or Turner will need to ascend into a leadership role and boost his average if Tennessee is to compete in the SEC this season.
For the Volunteers to achieve their goals, Williams will need to take an even bigger step forward and provide consistent play similar to that of what he generated last year.
If Williams is able to maintain his steady scoring habits and a second consistent scorer steps up within the rotation, then look out for Rick Barnes’ team. They will be dangerous to anyone on any day.
Just ask North Carolina how dangerous they were last season.
Lastly, if Tennessee can somehow find the coveted ‘third-scorer’ that many teams around college basketball are looking for, the Vols could quickly find themselves among the elite in what will be a competitive SEC.