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Final Score: Tennessee 78, Miami (OH) 56
Tennessee completes a dominating defensive effort, locking down Miami (OH) and holding the Red Hawks to 34 points below its game average of 90 points per game. Tennessee shows why it has made three straight Sweet 16s; Rick Barnes' Volunteer defense travels to and carries over during the NCAA Tournament. Tennessee took out Miami Ohio's three highest scorers from the First-Four game, with Eian Elmer and Luke Skaljac getting just 4 points, and Brant Beyers finishing with 9 points. I have never seen a Division-I team throw up so many air balls on three-point shots, with Miami (OH) having seven, a testament to Tennessee's defensive mastery. Combine Tennessee's defensive stranglehold with Ja'Kobi Gillespie going off for 22 of his 29 points in the first half, and this game was over at the break. The one thing the Vols should worry about is the health status of Nate Ament, who only took three shots and did not score as he deals with a troublesome ankle. Tennessee advances to play #3 Virginia on Sunday. That game should be a low-scoring affair (it could be in the 50s). Miami Ohio's amazing season ends at 32-2. The Vols were a terrible match up for the Red Hawks, who will need to get stronger and more athletic this summer but should be proud as starting a season 31-0 just doesn't happen very often, regardless of conference. Make the jump to see the game's final stats and review the live reactions of Tennessee's defensive clinic against the Red Hawks.
Second Half, Under-4 Live Reactions
Tennessee leads 74-54 with 2:55 remaining. Tennessee's J.P. Estrella is feasting in the paint during what amounts to garbage time. Tennessee has a 36 to 14 advantage with points in the paint, and have outrebounded the Red Hawks by 10 (31-21). Miami Ohio's Elmer gets his first basket of the game on hustle put back off a missed three. Miami (OH) has been limited to 27 three point attempts, 7 of which were air ball. Suder just hit the Red Hawks' 7th three. He has 27 points on 7-for-11 from the field. Gillespie has cooled off a but but has a game-high 29 points with two smooth layups this segment.
Second Half, Under-8 Live Reactions
Tennessee leads 66-47 with 7:45 remaining. The Red Hawks have outscored Tennessee 11-2 during this stretch, however, it hasn't been a quick run but more of a slow burn. Suder had a personal 7-0 run and has equipped himself quite well with 24 points. He does have four fouls and is on the bench. Tennessee has been very sloppy on offense. The Red Hawks got the game to 17 at one point, but Tennessee ran some nice screen and roll action for a J.P. Estrella dunk. Tennessee just got a tip-in of a missed three. The Volunteers are 1/6 from three this half but can just go inside when necessary. Still, Tennessee's second half offensive focus hasn't been great; defensively, the intensity has been top notch.
Second Half, Under-12 Live Reactions
Tennessee leads 60-36 with 11:15 remaining. Miami (OH) is 1/10 from the field, and cannot get anything against this Tennessee defense. The Red Hawks are trying to get to the rim but are so limited athletically against Tennessee's big men that they are throwing up prayers, rushing shots, etc. Miami (OH) is just physically outmatched, no ifs, ands or buts. The Volunteers have made the arena sound like a funeral. There is a pall amongst the Miami (OH) fans. The Red Hawks haven't had a deficit this big all season long.
Second Half, Under-16 Live Reactions
Tennessee leads 55-36 with 14:56 remaining. Miami (OH) has been more active defensively this half and Tennessee has been very sloppy in the half court, with five turnovers. The problem is Tennessee's defensive activity has not waned. The Volunteers have forced two more air balls from deep by Elmer, who I believe has 4 air balls on 6 three-point attempts. Miami (OH) has 7 air balls from deep. Antoine Woolfolk has been active defensively and even hit a three for the Red Hawks. This game has crawled to a snail's pace. Tennessee is running clock and looking to feed the post. Miami (OH) is beyond out of sorts on offense. The Red Hawks don't have a counter on that end.
Halftime Adjustments
Tennessee is locked in defensively, extending its defense well beyond the three-point line. If Tennessee matches this defensive intensity, the Volunteers could win this game by 30-plus points. Miami (OH) is going to have to try to pick up the pace, which is much easier said than done against Tennessee. The Red Hawks are just not physically capable of playing a slow-down game in the half court. The ball cannot stick; Miami (OH) must make quick passes and cuts and try to move the Volunteers. Tennessee is going to have to have a mind-blowing lack of mental focus and Miami (OH) is going to have to get really hot from three for this game to get close. This game feels over, though Miami (OH) can expect Tennessee to come down to earth from three a bit (61.5%). Miami (OH) has to shoot at a similar clip (in the 60s) from deep to have a chance. That seems unlikely as the Red Hawks are struggling to get shots, outside of the first four minutes of the game! Tennessee has a 14-point advantage with points in the paint (20-6) and must pound it inside at the start of the half to put this game away.
Halftime: Tennessee 51, Miami (OH) 32.
That was an absolute dominating performance by the Volunteers, a defensive masterclass by Rick Barnes, who has been to 30 NCAA Tournaments in 38 years as a head coach. Tennessee senior guard Ja'Kobi Gillespie has 22 points on 8 made field goals. Miami (OH) has 11 made field goals as a team. Tennessee is 8/13 from three, with Ethan Burg getting one to bounce in at the buzzer. Miami (OH) hit its first three threes, but has gone 1/11 since. The Red Hawks have more air balls from three (5) than makes (4). Tennessee is locked in defensively, and Gillespie is on a heater today, shooting 67% from the field (8-for-12). Tennessee has converted 9 Miami (OH) turnovers into 17 points. By the way, Ament has 0 points, and the Volunteers still lead by 19. The deficit could be much worse as Tennessee has missed some layups. Miami (OH) has fought hard down low, but are just overmatched physically and so uncomfortable in the half-court offense. Peter Suder (16) has half of Miami Ohio's points (32). He is the only Red Hawk able to match Tennessee's physicality. Below are the halftime stats.
Final Four Minutes Live Reactions
Tennessee leads 48-28 with 1:10. Gillespie buries his fifth three and now has 22 points. Tennessee calls a timeout.
Tennessee leads 41-23 with 3:33 remaining. Miami (OH) calls a timeout. Gillespie hits a ridiculous step-back three. He has 19 points and may have more than Miami (OH) by the half.
Tennessee leads 41-23 with 3:33 remaining. Miami (OH) calls a timeout. Gillespie hits a ridiculous step-back three. He has 19 points and may have more than Miami (OH) by the half.
First Half, Under-4 Live Reactions
Tennessee leads 37-23 with exactly 4 minutes remaining. Tennessee is trying to punk Miami (OH), which cannot get open threes. The Red Hawks have thrown up a fifth air ball and have just 11 attempts from deep. A Trey Perry layup just broke a 5 minute drought without a field goal for the Red Hawks. Gillespie has hit another three for a game-high 16 points. On one 51 second possession, Tennessee got three offensive rebounds and didn't even score. The Volunteers are trying to tear down the rim with big man Dewayne Brown II. Tennessee has missed some close shots and should be up bigger. This has been domination so far by the Volunteers.
First Half, Under-8 Live Reactions
Tennessee leads 31-17 with 7:20 remaining. The Red Hawks are in trouble and cannot match the physicality of Tennessee's defense. Miami (OH) hasn't hit a three in more than 10 minutes. Eian Elmer, who led the team with 23 points on Tuesday night, is 0-3 from deep, with two airballs (the Red Hawks have 4 airballs). Tennessee is making Miami (OH) uncomfortable, and the Red Hawks are making some uncharacteristic plays, turning the ball over in the backcourt leading to a J.P. Estrella lob dunk and leaving a Tennessee player wide open for a corner three. Gillespie is dominating, with a tough And-one. Ament has only taken one shot and hasn't scored yet. It hasn't mattered.
First Half, Under-12 Live Reactions
Tennessee leads 23-17 with 9:09 remaining. Suder hits a tough jumper (he got away with a push off). That's good news for Miami (OH) as Suder has matched his total points from the First-Four game. Gillespie jacks a three (a heat check) that is missed. Tennessee needs to be careful not to just start shooting threes and must limit some of these silly turovers. The Volunteers must pound the ball inside. They have a 12-2 advantage with points in the paint. Rebounding is pretty even, with Tennessee +2 (7 to 5).
Tennessee leads 23-15 with 11:03 remaining. Miami (OH) calls a timeout as the Volunteers are on a 13-2 run. This game is being played at Tennessee's methodical deliberate pace in the half court. The Red Hawks are struggling with the Volunteers' physicality, going more than 3 minutes without a field goal before a nice layup by Suder on an inbounds play under the basket. Miami (OH) has thrown up three airballs from deep and need to start doing some back cuts to try and get baskets at the rim. Tennessee has 5 turnovers and is 3/5 from three. Senior Ja'Kobi Gillespie looks like a player who has been in the tournament before, scoring 10 points on 4-for-4 from the field!
First Half, Under-16 Live Reactions
Miami (OH) leads 13-10 with 15:49 remaining. The first two minutes of the game showed the contrasting styles of the Red Hawks and Volunteers. Miami (OH) hits two threes (Brant Byers and Peter Suder) while Tennessee throws two lob dunks to Felixe Okpara. Miami (OH) has hit 3-of-4 from deep and are 5/6 from the floor. Tennessee is 4/6 from the field, with its four made field goals coming in the paint. Both teams have three turnovers each.
Prediction: Miami (OH)
The 32-1 Red Hawks showed they belonged during a First-Four victory against SMU on Wednesday night. Miami (OH) is stepping up in weight class today against the Tennessee Volunteers, which features legendary Head Coach Rick Barnes and NBA prospect Nate Ament. This game will be a fascinating contrast in styles, with Miami (OH) looking to shoot about 40 threes and Tennessee hoping to make this a grinder of a game. Miami (OH) is going to need to be hot from deep to have a chance. Tennessee is the more talented team but Miami (OH) plays fast, hard and together. The Red Hawks expended a lot of physical and emotional energy on Wednesday night so beware of a hangover. While my head says Tennessee will overwhelm the Red Hawks, my heart believes the Red Hawks will get one more victory. Tennessee has been inconsistent this season, Miami (OH) has been the opposite, winning so many close games. The Red Hawks will pull out another close one with the upset of the Volunteers.
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