The Vols 88-62 loss at Temple was a broadcast of both clichés and surprises.
The commentators at ESPN love their cheesy little cliché one-liners and throughout their broadcasts they continually find variations of the same joke to repeat over and over.
Going into the game I was expecting plenty of Christmas puns compliments of Temple’s outstanding senior guard, Dionte Christmas.
Brad Nessler and Bill Raftery certainly brought their A-game.
Sure enough several minutes before the game even tipped off we got our first of many, “Christmas come early” remarks.
Then the game started and the rest of the broadcast was full of surprises, on the court.
In just their second home game of the season the Owls managed to destroy the Vols who had won eight straight true-road games previously dating back to last season.
Consequently the game was also the Vols only true-road game of December.
After a week of exams and “boot camp like” practices, the Vols looked to continue their efficient play that is evidenced by having outscored opponents by an average margin of 16 points per game against a legit opening schedule. The Vols bench had also outscored the opponents’ in all seven of the first games.
However they ran into a Temple team that despite a 4-3 record to start the season returned four players from last years squad that finished second (only to Xavier) in the A-10.
Last season when these teams squared off in the Vols season opener in Knoxville, they held Dionte Christmas to 12 points. This time Christmas countered with 35.
The Vols were also without junior forward J.P. Prince who was likely to start due to an ankle sprain Friday in practice. It isn’t expected to be too serious, but it will be x-rayed when the Vols get back to Knoxville.
Additionally freshman guard Scotty Hopson was missing from the starting line-up because he missed the team’s pre-game breakfast.
Things just clearly weren’t right for the Vols from the start.
Opening the game Tennessee couldn’t get any shots to fall and because of this they were unable to set up their press and disrupt Temple’s rhythm.
Tyler Smith, who recently recorded the first triple-double in Tennessee basketball history, really struggled early missing his first eight shots. Smith didn’t score until hitting a layup 13 minutes into the game.
The Vols hung around though during the first half until Temple ended the half on a 10-2 run, which contributed to a 34-25 lead at the break.
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