No. 5 Tennessee will look to stay unbeaten when it takes on No. 2 Kansas in the NIT Season Tip-Off championship game on Friday night.
The Vols moved to 4-0 on the season with a 92-81 win over a tough Louisville team in the opening game of the tournament.
As for the Jayhawks, they rallied from an early deficit to pick up a 77-68 victory over Marquette.
Let’s run through what to watch for in this top five showdown.
Game Details
- No. 5 Tennessee (4-0) vs. No. 2 Kansas (4-0)
- Location: Barclays Center – Brooklyn, NY (NIT Season Tip-Off)
- Game Date: Nov. 23
- Game Time: 9 p.m. EST
- Watch: ESPN2
Players to Watch
Grant Williams (Tennessee)
It’s easy to understand why the 6-7 junior has a great shot of repeating as SEC player of the year, with Williams already off to a great start this season.
He’s currently averaging 22.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game while shooting 63.3 percent from the field and 70.6 percent from the free-throw line.
Williams has completely transformed his game over the past few years, and this is yet another opportunity for him to showcase his worth as one of the nation’s best players.
Lagerald Vick (Kansas)
Vick is also eclipsing the 20-point mark in scoring averages, as he’s posting 20.8 points in 35.3 minutes per game.
Of course, one of his greatest strengths is outside shooting, with the 6-5 senior making 18 of his first 29 shots from beyond the arc this season (62.1 percent).
With Vick being the lone senior in the Jayhawks’ rotation, his experience and leadership will be crucial against a veteran squad like Tennessee.
Key Stats
It’s no surprise to see these two ranking top 15 nationally in both offensive and defensive efficiency, as the overall balance on each side is why they’re top five teams.
But when you look at some of the early stats, there are a few trends that seem to be in Tennessee’s favor, even if Kansas has played a tougher set of opponents to this point.
Tennessee is shooting 38.2 percent from 3-point range (64th nationally), and defending the perimeter has been an issue for a Kansas squad that’s allowing teams to shoot 40.5 percent from long range (316th nationally).
However, the Vols don’t really shoot many 3-pointers (321st nationally with only 17.2 attempts per game), so the Jayhawks’ biggest weakness may not be as exposed in this matchup.
On the flip side, Kansas is fourth nationally in 3-point field-goal percentage (47.3 percent), but likewise doesn’t put up many outside shots (306th nationally at 18.5 attempts per game).
But perhaps the most significant advantage for Tennessee is overall experience, as the Vols rank 37th in that category while Kansas sit at 287th nationally.
And since free throws are always important in games that will likely be close the entire way, Tennessee is shooting 66.7 percent (220th nationally), and Kansas is shooting 63.4 percent (285th nationally).
Game Outlook
- Spread: Kansas -3.5
- Over/Under: 150
- KenPom Projection: Kansas, 65 percent chance to win
- ESPN BPI Projection: Kansas, 54.0 percent chance to win
Tennessee came into this season with its top six scorers back from a 26-win team that captured a share of the SEC regular season title.
After coming up short against Loyola Chicago in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, the aspirations are certainly much higher for Rick Barnes’ team this season.
And this is their chance to prove why they are capable of winning a national championship.
Slowing down Kansas is not going to be easy, as the Jayhawks feature a plethora of highly-skilled offensive talents.
Both teams will play gritty defense, and this should be a physical game that may involve a lot of free throws.
It probably wouldn’t surprise anyone if these two teams are meeting on a bigger stage come March, as they’re equally capable of making a run to a national title.
But what may decide a game like this one is the intangibles, and that’s where Tennessee’s mental toughness may help Williams and company find an edge.
I’ll take the Vols to earn the win in what should be a fantastic game.
Season Predictions Record (straight up): 52-10
Game Prediction: Tennessee 78, Kansas 75
For more SEC basketball coverage, follow me on Twitter @theblakelovell.