He’s an exceptional passer and defender for his age, with a developing jump shot that is still respectable. One is obvious: Kennedy Chandler, the five-star prospect, has been a great add for Rick Barnes. Outside of that trio, though, the other two players with more than 50 percent of minutes played are both freshman. Point guard Santiago Vescovi is quietly having the best season of his career, with all of his numbers increasing steadily enough to boost his offensive rating from a 105.6 to a 116.4 in just one year’s time. He’s still an electric athlete and defender, but his offensive numbers have dipped. Josiah-Jordan James mans the wing, but is having somewhat of a down year compared to his two underclassman seasons. He’s an exceptional rebounder and interior defender and a good enough scorer inside to be dangerous. Chief among them is elder statesman John Fulkerson, an old fashioned big in a modern-day combo forward’s body. Many of Tennessee’s key contributors should be familiar to Mizzou fans. Players to Watch Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK Note: These starting lineups are projected. A win over the Volunteers would certainly prove a nice feather in the Tigers’ cap as they look to close a disappointing season strong. They’ve proven their ability to topple better teams (see, Alabama) and Tennessee would certainly fit that mold. The Tigers have struggled to find more wins after reaching number 10 against Ole Miss, and they’re quickly running out of time to stack some more before the SEC Tournament. If you couldn’t guess, those two things don’t quite describe the Tigers at this point. They’re a veteran-heavy team without many proven stars, but they embody the spirit of their coach well, with an elite defense anchoring a slightly worse, if above average, offense. Currently ranked 17th in the country, the Vols have likely exceeded expectations this year, depending on who you ask. Missouri starts with Tennessee on Tuesday night, and the Volunteers are all but assured another trip to the NCAA under Rick Barnes. Radio | Tiger Radio Network // Sirius/XM -119/199
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