Antonio Reeves will get plenty of attention from the Tennessee defense. (Vicky Graff Photo)
Antonio Reeves has been one of the Southeastern Conference’s most productive scorers this season and is trying to become just the fifth college player ever to average 20 or more points per game and shoot at least 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from 3 and 90 percent at the foul line.
“I don’t know if you can slow any good scorer down. You’ve just got to hope that he’s going to have to take more shots than he needs to get what he normally gets,” Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said Friday when asked about Reeves.
“Guys that can really score the ball, you’ve got to make them work as hard as you can to make them earn points knowing that you’re averaging 20 points a night. I mean, that’s tough to guard. But, you’ve just got to make (Reeves) work for every one of them and hope that he’s got to take more shots to get to that number.”
Tennessee gets its chance to slow down Reeves tonight when the Vols play at Kentucky. Like UK, the Vols are coming off a disappointing home loss. South Carolina won at Knoxville Tuesday one night before Florida won at Kentucky.
“I think Antonio’s one of the best guards in the country,” UK assistant Chuck Martin said. “In my opinion, he shoots the ball as well as anyone in the country.”
Kentucky (15-5) still has one of the SEC’s best offenses averaging 88.7 points per game and hitting over 40 percent from 3-point range.
“They’re very explosive and can give it to you from all different levels and all different ways. Great speed. A team that can really go on big runs against you. I think (Kentucky coach John Calipari) is getting more balance all the way around. But, they’re a really, really explosive basketball team,” Barnes said.
“They obviously present problems. He’s always had a team that could present problems. We’ve always talked about transition being a big key playing against Kentucky because of how fast they can get down the floor and get in the open court and try to play in space.
“Also, transition defense is important, obviously, knowing that they’ve got guys that can get space, and they don’t need space. They’ve got some guys that can play off the bounce but can really go up and make some really difficult shots.”
Barnes is expecting a “high level, high tempo game” between two teams battling to stay in contention for the SEC title and also to revive national title hopes that have taken a hit the last few weeks.
Barnes wants his team to play with confidence at Kentucky even though UK beat the Vols twice last season
“Whether you’re talking about Josiah (James) or Santi (Vescovi) or Jordan (Gainey) or anybody. I want us to do what we practice. There’s going to be no undefeated teams in college basketball. I was watching a game last night. Wisconsin and Nebraska and (Wisconsin) had won 120-straight games when they had a 15-point lead. Last night, all at once — I’ve known (Nebraska head coach) Fred Hoiberg a long time — his team started making some shots and as a coach you just sit back and think, ‘One of those nights,’” Barnes said.
“Because they made some really tough shots and it happens to everybody. What you hope is that at the right time you keep building and it’s all about getting better and hoping that we can be the best team that we can be when it counts most.”
7 Responses
Tonight’s game determines where this season goes. Win, and we still have a chance of salvaging the season. Lose and we are on the way to ANOTHER double digit loss season under Calipari. The bad news is that Barnes has owned Calipari since his arrival here in Lexington.
Barry if I’m not mistaken I think we have beaten them 4 in a roll twice last year and year before. I could be wrong though.
Well we lost!! Terrible defense and Hall of Fame coach refuses to play anything but man to man. Isn’t that the definition of insanity?
I’d like to see a press to slow down the transition/pace. It might help Sheppard & his team mates get back on D. If you put a man on the ball after a make, It slows the teams pace down. Even a "token" press will help. Guys are not getting back on D in time. They get beat all the time. Who’s guarding who? If they can’t get back then add a zone so they know we’re to go. Yeah it’s boring & effective. Make them beat you from the outside.
How much longer will we have to suffer with the fraud?
He doesn’t even have the balls to do the post game show.
Calling all CAL-lovers, calling all CAL-lovers—where ya at, where ya at, where ya at??? Crickets……heck, what am I saying?: CALLING CAL!!!! THEYRE STILL WAITING FOR U AT COURT SIDE FOR POSTGAME!!!
hey blind CAL lovers: does that give u an idea how he feels about YOU??? think about it for a minute…… CHICKEN-SH** UNTOUCHABLE CAL–THE MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN–literally. the reason we have to still suffer with this fraud is because of how we have all continued to stand behind the fraud the last 4 yrs out of our love for something that was taken from us during the 2021 season. The year of 9-16 and the kneeling is when everybody should have gotten the memo: some did–some burned all their UK crap, understandably so, I almost did the same. The only reason I didn’t is because after giving my emotions some time to calm down, I realized if u do that, u have allowed one man to make himself bigger than UK, and that’s not the way it works around here. Don’t give him that power, and don’t let him destroy something u truly love within your soul. In the years since, I have distanced myself from the games and just kept up mostly online and on radio, because deep down, I know what the man’s agenda is, and I just refuse to support it. CAL is a CANCER, Y’ALL—maybe this year the rest of u blind followers will finally see that. He really is just a cancer. I wish he would do the fans a service and just step down after this season, no matter how it ends. And do it in the same chicken sh** fashion he handled tonights affairs: have Orlando make the announcement for him. In fact, doesn’t that just sound like a typical CAL move? If he were to leave, he wouldn’t even have the cajones to announce it in person, or on air–at best it would be from behind his computer screen. CAL has reached a level culturally and socially that people in this state don’t want to be on, and are NOT on. He was handed permanent keys to a kingdom, and he made himself bigger than the kingdom itself, and was allowed to–and the kingdom is truly run by the people of the state–the BBN–so when things began to go south, no accountability was demanded from his superiors, so because of Mitch, CAL became GOD—but in reality, he became the Antichrist–because BBN doesn’t support one individual who believes they are bigger than the program. But it’s lonely at that top spot, CAL–when the kingdom crumbles, nobody is gonna be there to save u. Because u became UNTOUCHABLE CAL, and that led to CAL CANCER for the bball program, the fans, and the state. We have all been infected, some just realized it a lot sooner than others. But we all want and need treatment NOW, and should demand it. Mitch created this monster, now he needs to destroy it. But it’s just like the original classic monster story–once created, the monster was too powerful to be destroyed. So it’s up to us now ……fans, I implore u: do yourself a favor and cash in your season tickets and your future support in-person and from your own pockets of allowing this horror show to continue. Force Mitch’s hand: make the monster have to send his NBA draft picks out in front of an empty Rupp Arena. It can be done. Enough ppl have to realize that for a short-term sacrifice of ur fun and entertainment, it will be a long-term gain of getting back what this program means to us in the first place. And it might save u a few dollars too! And honestly: are u really having fun and being entertained right now? And is it really worth your money? Is the monster worth your money when he won’t even come out to face u when the going gets tough? Think about it, BBN—I implore u. There IS a way to exterminate—but WE r the ones who have Todo it–its up to US. Otherwise, the power continues to lie with the same forces who aren’t gonna do a damn thing Abt it.