When Alabama traveled to play Tennessee on Saturday many were excited to see Alabama’s elite offense face Tennessee’s elite defense. The Tide average over 90 points per game and rank first in offensive efficiency on Kenpom. It was not the first good offense Tennessee had seen, as in November they played a Purdue team that was also top 3 in offensive efficiency. The two offenses, one guard-led and one playing out of the post, averaged 71 points and 18 turnovers. However you play on offense, Tennessee has the matchup for it.
Tennessee’s Defense is Mismatch Proof
Alabama under Nate Oats has always had good offenses, and this year just might be his best. The Tide is in the top five in both offensive efficiency and effective field goal percentage on Kenpom. They rank in the top 15 in three-point, two-point, and free-throw percentages. They also score 37.9 percent of their points from three, the 26th highest in the nation.
Tennessee had the perfect match-up for Mark Sears, a top candidate for SEC Player of the Year and top 45 nationally in offensive efficiency. 5’9 Zakai Zeiler is one of the best defensive players in the country. While Sears had an efficient 22 points, he had seven turnovers, the most he’s had in an Alabama uniform. Zeigler tallied four steals as well
In his post-game press conference, Alabama head coach Nate Oats said, “(preparing for Tennessee’s defense) is impossible because you don’t have anyone on your team that plays as hard as Zakai Zeigler.”
In a guard-centric sport, Zeigler takes the other team’s best for forty minutes and makes even the best guards struggle.
Tennessee vs Purdue
When Tennesee played a Purdue team that ranks second in offensive efficiency, and 14th in effective field goal percentage, Tennessee came up just short. However, the defense did all it could to get a win.
Zach Edey is a 7’4 monster who is currently the front-runner to win his second National Player of the Year award. Tennessee knew he was going to get his as he put up a 23-10 double-double. However, Tennessee chose to make the game the most physical, ugliest game of the year and that was not by accident.
Purdue is ninth in three-point percentage, and 40th in two-point percentage while ranking just 138th in free throw percentage. They shoot 72.6 percent from the year on the line. In this game, they shot just 60.4 percent. The Purdue offense never got into a rhythm, as easy baskets were few and far between. As a result, Purdue shot just 35.2 percent from the floor.
Tennessee has now faced Kenpom’s two highest-rated offenses, both of which have different styles and completely different star players. Neither star was taken out of the game completely, with both Sears and Edey having 20 plus. However, Sears was forced into seven turnovers, and Edey missed eight free throws. Tennesee is making star players play to their weaknesses, and making the others beat them. A formula that to this point has been mismatch-proof. Now the question is, how far does that take them in March?
