What to expect from No. 12 Tennessee as CU hoops returns to play

BOULDER — Tad Boyle is at it again.

Due to COVID-19 postponements, the Buffaloes have not played a game since Nov. 27, and with Colorado State’s program on pause, the Buffs had an opening to fill on Tuesday.

Colorado quickly found an opponent in the School of Mines. However, that didn’t mean Tad Boyle was done searching.

When the Tennessee Volunteers came knocking, the Buffs went to work again, agreeing to cancel their game against Mines and travel to Knoxville

Not only did Boyle secure a great resume game for this season, but the agreement is good for three total games. Colorado will travel Knoxville this season, host the Vols in Boulder next season, and then the two will meet again in Nashville.

Boyle continues to give Colorado a platform to succeed. 

However, Tennessee is a different kind of opponent than Mines. Without playing a game, the Vols are still ranked in the top-15 of the AP Poll. But without any minutes in the 2020-2021 season, what can the unranked Buffs–who didn’t even receive a Top 25 vote this week–expect?

Vols have raw talent and athleticism

For a team yet to play a minute in the 2020-2021 season, Tennessee looks very strong on paper.

First, they brought in the No. 5 recruiting class in the country with 5-star guards Jaden Springer and Keon Johnson, as well as 4-star forward Corey Walker.

On top of the freshman, Tennessee landed the No. 6 rated grad-transfer in E.J. Anosike out of Sacred Heart. Anosike averaged a double-double last season with the Pioneers, scoring 15.7 PPG and 11.6 RPG on almost 50% from the floor.

Additionally, former 4-star guard Victor Bailey is now eligible after transferring from Oregon and sitting a year.

While they bring in new talent, the Vols still have the experience, starting with the 6-foot-9 forward, John Fulkerson. Fulkerson led the team in scoring and rebounding last season, and should serve as the primary option next to Anosike.

Still, Tennessee ran lots of small-ball last season, with five guards seeing over 30 minutes per game. Returning this season are three of these players, including SEC Defensive Player of the Year, Yves Pons. Pons led the team with 2.7 blocks per game last year, but he is also an efficient player on offense and a capable rebounder.

The other two returning guards, Santiago Vescovi and Josiah-Jordan James are also capable shooters who are not shy of playing important minutes.

Altogether, this is a team that has tons of experience with several x-factors that have not yet played in a Volunteers uniform. While it is unclear how the freshman will contribute, Tennessee did not have a strong rotation last season. This is a team that has a core of guys that run the show, so it will be interesting to see if that changes going into this year.

Buffs have the size to compete

While Fulkerson and Anosike are strong forwards, Tennessee does not have the size of Colorado.

Interesting, I know, for an SEC team to be smaller than the Buffs. But size is subjective here.

Again, Tennessee does not have a heavy rotation. Colorado likes to utilize their depth, whereas the Vols stick with their main guards and one forward.

One name to watch is Uros Plavsic, a 7-footer from Serbia who played just over 10 minutes a game last season. While he has the size, he was limited in his play. In a game against Colorado with Dallas Walton and Evan Battey starting on the low-post, Tennessee may be forced to play Plavsic more and break away from its identity.

Although star guard McKinley Wright has been knocked for his size throughout his career, he is still one of the conference’s premiere defenders. That – combined with the news that D’Shawn Schwartz may be making his season debut on Tuesday – means the Buffs should have the pieces in place to limit Tennessee’s ability.

With a stout defensive performance against a team in its season opener, there actually is reason to believe Colorado can make some noise on the road this week.

What should be Colorado’s gameplan?

Unlike their first two games, Tuesday’s matchup needs to prioritize the post to set up shooters.

Against South Dakota and Kansas State, neither opponent had the defenders to cover Wright. He was able to set himself up and open lanes for others.

Unfortunately, Yves Pons is the reigning  Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. At 6-foot-6, Pons still has athleticism that could limit Wright.

Therefore, the Buffs need to use their size advantage to open up shooters around the perimeter. Both Dallas Walton and Evan Battey are proven passers, so they can take advantage of their size for both shots and open passing lanes.

No matter what, this game is an absolute win for Tad Boyle & Co. If they win, Colorado picks up a huge boost to their resume and earns national attention and recognition. If they lose, the Vols will still most likely be a Quadrant I opponent, which helps come Selection Sunday.

While it is easier to have high expectations for the Buffs, this game will be a great experience for a team trying to make national noise – no matter the outcome.

What’s Next?

The game between the Colorado Buffaloes and Tennessee Volunteers will tip-off at 4:00 p.m. MST and will be streamed on SEC Network+.

Programming note: SEC Network+ is not a seperate station, but is an add-on to ESPN. Fans can watch through the ESPN App or website, but the viewer must have a television package that already includes the standard SEC Network.