Iowa Basketball: 3 keys to Round of 32 upset over Tennessee

Iowa Basketball: 3 keys to upset over Tennessee in Round of 32

IOWA CITY, IOWA- FEBRUARY 01: Guard Jordan Bohannon #3 of the Iowa Hawkeyes drives down the court in the second half against forward Isaiah Livers #4 of the Michigan Wolverines, on February 1, 2019 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, in Iowa City, Iowa. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images) /

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COLUMBUS, OHIO – MARCH 22: Tennessee Volunteers cheerleaders react after the game against the Colgate Raiders in the first round of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Nationwide Arena on March 22, 2019 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /

2. Force Tennessee to the perimeter

This may seem counterintuitive in the modern basketball world. Teams want to be on the perimeter because they want to shoot 3-pointers as often as possible.

That’s not really Tennessee’s game, though. In 35 games this season, the Vols have hit at least ten 3-point shots just three times.

Tennessee scores their points by diving into the paint and getting to the free throw line. They have a dominant interior presence in Grant Williams. He should not be underestimated as he claws his way towards the basket on every possession.

There just aren’t very many players on Tennessee who would be considered high-level shooters first and foremost. Only four players even attempted a single 3-pointer in their first round game, with none hitting on at least half of those shots.

Admiral Schofield is the best shooter in Knoxville. He shot 41.2 percent on 3-pointers this season, making 68 of his 165 attempts during the season. Meanwhile, the only other rotation regulars hanging around an average of 35 percent proficiency are Jordan Bowden and Jordan Bone.

Tennessee can get hot and make some shots, but that isn’t how the Vols like to play. Forcing them to the outside could make them uncomfortable and get Tennessee out of their gameplan.

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