TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The Tennessee Volunteers’ different gamers knew earlier than anybody else that Dalton Knecht was going to be a school basketball star this season, they usually knew as a result of Jahmai Mashack was already on the group.
They knew earlier than Knecht, the Northern Colorado-transfer-turned-NBA-lottery-lock, turned the primary SEC participant since LSU’s Shaquille O’Neal in 1991 to attain 35 factors in consecutive SEC video games. They knew earlier than he began taking on video games, thrilling with buckets from 25 toes away and from above the rim and from all factors in between. Earlier than a ridiculous dunk in an exhibition at Michigan State’s Breslin Heart gave a touch of issues to return. Earlier than Rick Barnes blew the whistle on the primary preseason follow.
They knew as a result of protection is half the sport and, of their eyes, Mashack is nearly as good at it as anybody. So after all he was the one taking up Knecht in the summertime pickup video games. Think about these battles.
“We see him as the most effective defender within the nation,” Tennessee senior wing Josiah James mentioned late Saturday evening of Mashack, who must be thought of the star of No. 4 Tennessee’s 81-74 comeback win Saturday at No. 14 Alabama, simply as Knecht was the star of the Vols’ 92-82 comeback win Wednesday over No. 11 Auburn.
Collectively, although with important assist from each member of the rotation of this entire group, they’ve the Vols (23-6, 13-3 SEC) in place to earn the primary NCAA Match No. 1 seed in program historical past, which might assist the pursuit for the primary Remaining 4 and nationwide championship. However let’s not bypass the eleventh SEC regular-season championship in class historical past, courting to the primary in 1935-36, which was the fourth season of SEC existence.
That’s in sight now with two video games to play — at South Carolina and residential vs. Kentucky, capping the first-ever UT stretch of 4 straight top-20 groups — and it could deserve a well-stitched banner, contemplating the SEC is the most effective league in school basketball and the most effective it’s been in a very long time. If somebody is aware of when it was higher than this, please depart a remark and make a radical case.
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There’s symmetry to the best way the Vols received the week towards two groups in Alabama that even have practical Remaining 4 aspirations. Knecht outscored Auburn 25-21 after the Vols trailed by eight halfway by way of the second half, a takeover that may have clinched SEC Participant of the Yr for him and may bolster him within the nationwide discussions.
After the Vols trailed by seven halfway by way of the second half at Alabama, Mashack’s contributions weren’t as quantifiable. That’s the lifetime of a stopper in contrast with a scorer. But it surely was one thing to behold as effectively. And he really had a run on each ends.
It began within the first half, when it was obvious this might be a sport for the 6-4 junior from Fontana, Calif. He got here off the bench early to use himself to Alabama level guard Mark Sears, one of many hardest covers within the sport. When Alabama’s Aaron Estrada began going off, Barnes despatched Mashack that method.
This would be the first spotlight they play on the video board for Jahmai Mashack’s senior day subsequent season #Vols pic.twitter.com/uO8XGmNw37
— Reece Van Haaften (@Reece_VH) March 3, 2024
It began a number of weeks in the past when Mashack approached Barnes, who had been enjoying Mashack as a 4 in small lineups, and requested him to renew letting him guard guards. That’s his power.
“I advised my coaches, ‘What was I pondering getting away from that?’” Barnes mentioned. “As a result of he’s elite at it.”
He was elite at it towards Sears and Estrada, even when each managed to muscle in financial institution pictures towards him. Mashack’s minutes are by no means assured partly as a result of he’s not a constant scorer. And partly as a result of this eight-man rotation is loaded. However on this sport, towards the No. 1 offensive group within the nation, with two guards he may keep in entrance of like nobody else, he was going to play rather a lot.
He turned the sport within the second half. The Alabama lead was 62-57 when he acquired the ball within the lane, attacked, drew protection to him and dropped a bounce move to Jonas Aidoo for a dunk. It was 62-60 when Zakai Zeigler discovered Mashack alone within the nook. He’s not an ideal shooter however he’s a succesful one, and Barnes insists on no hesitation when he sees an open look.
Mashack swished it to retake the lead. Tennessee would maintain it the remainder of the best way.
As a substitute of celebrating, Mashack noticed Alabama attempting to push the ball, acquired from one facet of the courtroom to the opposite and leaped to select off Sears’ move supposed for Estrada. Mashack saved it to Zeigler, who acquired it to Aidoo for a layup plus the foul. On the following UT possession, with Knecht (13 factors) drawing additional consideration as would be the norm any longer, Mashack made a pleasant transfer within the lane and acquired to the rim for one more bucket.
He had eight factors, six rebounds and 4 assists in 27 minutes. These are the quantifiable contributions. There was much more to it than that.
“He might need performed his greatest sport since he’s been at Tennessee,” Barnes mentioned.
“It’s enjoyable guarding offensive-heavy groups like that, it’s what school basketball is now,” Mashack mentioned. “It’s what basketball is popping into, an offensive-heavy sport. So that you’ve acquired to have guys who need to play protection. I like it. My group loves it.”
They like it a lot that they held Alabama with no subject purpose for a stretch of 9 minutes and three seconds within the second half. Once more, that is essentially the most environment friendly offensive group within the nation. Enjoying in what has change into an elite atmosphere, supporting a program that may be in nice form for its third SEC title in 4 years. However for the 20 misses on its remaining 23 pictures towards the veteran, gritty Vols.
“Oh wow — that’s a Rick Barnes masterclass,” James mentioned when that stat was relayed to him by a reporter.
“The more durable groups are going to win video games like this,” Mashack mentioned. “You’re not gonna win with simply being higher, you’re not going to win with simply execution. You’re going to win with toughness and struggle and grit. Who needs it extra? And Alabama, man, they had been a powerful group, particularly right here, I really feel like they make loads of their pictures right here, they get on runs, that’s what their offense is, they’re constructed on that. So we needed to be the more durable group.”
It helps to have the hardest participant.
(Picture of Jahmai Mashack, left, making an attempt to knock the ball away from Alabama’s Mouhamed Dioubate: Gary Cosby Jr. / USA In the present day)