Episode 152: Red-hot Vols seeking Crimson Tide revenge

GoVols247's Wes Rucker and Grant Ramey went into Fort Rucker Studio to break down Tennessee’s wild, come-from-behind win at Florida over the weekend and the Vols’ 106-87 thumping or Arkansas on Tuesday night at Thompson-Boling Arena. A healthy Lamonte Turner has teamed up with fellow junior guard Jordan Bowden to give the Vols a heck of a powerful punch off the bench, and now a deep and dangerous Tennessee team is starting to look even deeper and more dangerous. The Vols are now ranked second nationally in Ken Pomeroy’s adjusted offensive efficiency ranking, behind only Gonzaga — a team Tennessee beat on a neutral site earlier this season. The Vols jumped all over Arkansas for much of Tuesday’s first half, but they dialed down their intensity on defense down the stretch and seemed to play the scoreboard more than the opponent, and that infuriated Coach Rick Barnes to the point that Thursday’s practice wasn’t a particularly enjoyable one. Friday will be a lighter day for the Vols, though, as they put in the final pieces of their game plan heading into Saturday’s 2 p.m. Eastern showdown against longtime border-state rival Alabama at Thompson-Boling. Barnes is just 1-3 against the Crimson Tide during his otherwise-successful time at Tennessee, and the Tide took it to the Vols last season in Tuscaloosa. Obviously Colin Sexton is gone, and the Vols will be heavy favorites heading into Saturday’s game, but they have a healthy respect for Avery Johnson and the program he’s built at Bama. What’s working well for the Vols at the moment? What’s working really well? What’s not working well enough? What, if any, are the major concerns at the moment? Has sophomore wing Yves Pons put himself in position to lose his spot in the starting lineup? Which lineup combinations are working best for the Vols in certain situations against certain opponents? Those are just some of the many topics discussed in this episode.