Vols Hope Good Guard Play Continues Against Michigan

We hear it every year in the NCAA tournament. You need good guard play to win.
Well the Vols check that list in a major way. And they hope to enjoy more of it Saturday against Michigan.

Santiago Vescovi set a Vols NCAA tournament record hitting 75 percent of his three’s against Longwood.
That’s eye-opening, especially to Michigan.
Said Wolverines guard Jace Howard:”Being somebody that doesn’t stop moving without the ball. Like Steph Curry like. Making it a priority to stop him.”
Said Vols guard Josiah Jordan James:”Coach is always telling us if we move like Santy then we would have. We would be really hard to guard. I think that a lot of people have tried to emulate him, but it’s really hard to emulate somebody that runs around that much.”
While you’re chasing Santy, fellow guard Kennedy Chandler can run right by you.
Said Michigan head coach Juwan Howard:”One of the best point guards in college basketball in my opinion. Has the same face. I always call it the Kawai Leonard and the Tim Duncan face where you never can see a young man if he gets a little rattled or frustrated.”
If you thought the Vols guards were good on offense, UT is currently 8th in the nation in steals.
Their defense is gridiron gritty.
Said Juwan Howard:”Sometimes they will put two to the ball and blitz. There are times where they have a soft blitz. There are moments where they put bigs into drop coverage.”
Said James:”We just have a great will to do whatever it takes on the defensive end. Not only 1-on-1, but we talk about guarding 5 against 1.”
Defense is needed…but .
Said Vols head coach Rick Barnes:”All coaches you ask them you know before a game if you could pick one thing, I think most of us would say hey, I hope we can mak some shots.”
Said Jace Howard:”That’s the beauty of March. You can always make your season memorable in March by how well you do.”

Vols and Michigan tip at 5:15pm Saturday in Indianapolis. Game will be televised on News 12 Now.