PER = Player Efficiency Rate
TS% = True Shooting Percentage (Takes into account 3 pointers, 2 pointers and free throws)
USG% = Usage Percentage (Estimate of the percentage of team plays used by a player while he was on the floor)
BPM = Box Score Plus/Minus (A box score estimate of the points per 100 possessions a player contributed above a league-average player, translated to an average team)
Jordan Bone
Stats: 13.2 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 6.5 APG
Analytics: PER = 18.8, TS% = 55%, USG% = 21.5%, BPM = +4.7
Ashton Hagans
Stats: 7.2 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 4.3 APG
Analytics: PER= 15.3, TS% = 52%, USG% = 17.2%, BPM = +7
Jordan Bone is the most underrated part of the Volunteer machine. He does a great job of running the show at the point guard spot. He’s not a super star, but he’s steady at the point. This is evident in his last five games, where Bone has eclipsed 10 points, 5 assists and 4 rebounds in each matchup. His most significant weakness is on the defensive side of the ball, where he’s the only player on Kentucky’s or Tennessee’s roster (outside of walk-ons) to have a negative impact on the box score from defense.
The LSU game showed that Ashton Hagans was firmly back down to earth after his stretch of great games from December to January. Hagans is still disruptive on the defensive side of the court, but has been burnt multiple times from gambling for steals. Teams now have film on how to make him less effective on that end. Until Hagans learns to shoot consistently or find driving angles, Kentucky is playing 4 on 5 on the offensive end. LSU hardly even guarded him and didn’t help off their man on his penetration.
Advantage: Tennessee
LaMonte Turner
Stats: 11.7 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 3.5 APG
Analytics: PER = 18.1, TS% = 62%, USG% = 19.4%, BPM = +7.2
Tyler Herro:
Stats: 13.3 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 2.3 APG
Analytics: PER = 17.7, TS% = 57%, USG% = 21.2%, BPM = +7.6
Out of the Vols starters, Turner is going to be the guy that shoots the most 3’s. On average, he shoots just over five per game, making 38% of them. He hasn’t been overwhelming of late, scoring in double figures in just one of his last three games, but Turner has the ability to put up big numbers. He’s surpassed 20 points a couple times this season as Tennessee’s 4th option on offense.
Tyler Herro has been playing mediocre of late. Cats fans should hope that his off shooting nights crested during his last game against LSU, where Herro was just 5 for 13 from the field. Herro is going to have to find his shot for the Cats to pull out the win on Saturday. Against LSU and Mississippi State, Herro pulled down a combined three rebounds. That’s been an underrated part of his game up until the past few games and if his shot is not falling, he must still find a way to help the team out in that regard.
Advantage: PUSH
Admiral Schofield
Stats: 16.7 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 2.5 APG
Analytics: PER = 21.2, TS% = 57%, USG% = 26.2%, BPM = +6.4
Keldon Johnson
Stats: 14.1 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 1.5 APG
Analytics: PER = 19.6, TS% = 60%, USG% = 22%, BPM = +7.3
Admiral Schofield is going to be a tough matchup for the Cats on Saturday, a team whose perimeter defense has been lacking for the greater part of the season. Built like a linebacker, Schofield can drive to the bucket with ease, or he can shoot the three ball. He’s currently shooting 41% behind the arc on the season.
This is a statement game for Keldon Johnson. Facing Schofield is an opportunity for Johnson to show the country as well as NBA scouts that he truly does belong. Schofield plays 100 mph on every possession and that’s been Johnson’s biggest weakness. When Johnson is playing hard, he’s a top 10 freshman in the country. However, Johnson has a tendency to disappear from games for spurts at a time. If he comes to play for 40 minutes on Saturday, this matchup will determine the game.
Advantage: Tennessee
Grant Williams
Stats: 19.4 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 3.5 APG
Analytics: PER = 31.8, TS% = 66%, USG% = 26.3 %, BPM = +14.4
PJ Washington
Stats: 14.4 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 1.8 APG
Analytics: PER = 26.3, TS% = 59%, USG% = 24.3%, BPM = +11.6
Grant Williams was running away with the SEC POY award until PJ Washington’s emergence this past month. Williams and Washington play almost like mirror images of each other and this will be a catalyst for both players in terms of the POY honors. Williams has been the more efficient player in this matchup, but Washington has closed that gap in conference play. Williams must find a way to stay on the floor the whole game on Saturday. The junior forward has fouled out of four games this year, while recording 4 fouls in three others.
Despite the loss to LSU earlier in the week, PJ Washington continued to dominate and be the focal point of the Cats offense. Washington dominated this matchup last year before leaving the game with cramps. As stated with Williams, Washington must find a way to stay on the floor in this game. Both he and Williams are superb at drawing fouls in the lane. As with Keldon Johnson, this is Washington’s statement game of the season thus far.
Advantage: PUSH
Kyle Alexander
Stats: 8.5 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 1.9 BPG
Analytics: PER = 20.1 , TS% = 66%, USG% = 15.4%, BPM = +9.3
Reid Travis
Stats: 11.6 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 0.8 BPG
Analytics: PER = 20.4, TS% = 59%, USG% = 20%, BPM = +7.1
Kyle Alexander is the Volunteers’ (UT is 6th in the country in blocks) best rim protector, blocking just under 2 per game. The 6’11” center is the kind of athlete that has given Reid Travis fits in conference play this season. For an underwhelming rebounding squad, Alexander must man the boards against Washington and Travis in this matchup. The Volunteers cannot afford to be killed on the glass.
Reid Travis hasn’t shot over 44% in his last three games and that simply must change on Saturday to help the Cats’ chances. He doesn’t have to score 20 points, but he must be a threat on the block alongside Washington. Despite his shooting struggles in the last three outings, Travis has still been rebounding well, reeling in just under 9 a game.
Advantage: PUSH
TS% = True Shooting Percentage (Takes into account 3 pointers, 2 pointers and free throws)
USG% = Usage Percentage (Estimate of the percentage of team plays used by a player while he was on the floor)
BPM = Box Score Plus/Minus (A box score estimate of the points per 100 possessions a player contributed above a league-average player, translated to an average team)
Jordan Bone
Stats: 13.2 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 6.5 APG
Analytics: PER = 18.8, TS% = 55%, USG% = 21.5%, BPM = +4.7
Ashton Hagans
Stats: 7.2 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 4.3 APG
Analytics: PER= 15.3, TS% = 52%, USG% = 17.2%, BPM = +7
Jordan Bone is the most underrated part of the Volunteer machine. He does a great job of running the show at the point guard spot. He’s not a super star, but he’s steady at the point. This is evident in his last five games, where Bone has eclipsed 10 points, 5 assists and 4 rebounds in each matchup. His most significant weakness is on the defensive side of the ball, where he’s the only player on Kentucky’s or Tennessee’s roster (outside of walk-ons) to have a negative impact on the box score from defense.
The LSU game showed that Ashton Hagans was firmly back down to earth after his stretch of great games from December to January. Hagans is still disruptive on the defensive side of the court, but has been burnt multiple times from gambling for steals. Teams now have film on how to make him less effective on that end. Until Hagans learns to shoot consistently or find driving angles, Kentucky is playing 4 on 5 on the offensive end. LSU hardly even guarded him and didn’t help off their man on his penetration.
Advantage: Tennessee
LaMonte Turner
Stats: 11.7 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 3.5 APG
Analytics: PER = 18.1, TS% = 62%, USG% = 19.4%, BPM = +7.2
Tyler Herro:
Stats: 13.3 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 2.3 APG
Analytics: PER = 17.7, TS% = 57%, USG% = 21.2%, BPM = +7.6
Out of the Vols starters, Turner is going to be the guy that shoots the most 3’s. On average, he shoots just over five per game, making 38% of them. He hasn’t been overwhelming of late, scoring in double figures in just one of his last three games, but Turner has the ability to put up big numbers. He’s surpassed 20 points a couple times this season as Tennessee’s 4th option on offense.
Tyler Herro has been playing mediocre of late. Cats fans should hope that his off shooting nights crested during his last game against LSU, where Herro was just 5 for 13 from the field. Herro is going to have to find his shot for the Cats to pull out the win on Saturday. Against LSU and Mississippi State, Herro pulled down a combined three rebounds. That’s been an underrated part of his game up until the past few games and if his shot is not falling, he must still find a way to help the team out in that regard.
Advantage: PUSH
Admiral Schofield
Stats: 16.7 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 2.5 APG
Analytics: PER = 21.2, TS% = 57%, USG% = 26.2%, BPM = +6.4
Keldon Johnson
Stats: 14.1 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 1.5 APG
Analytics: PER = 19.6, TS% = 60%, USG% = 22%, BPM = +7.3
Admiral Schofield is going to be a tough matchup for the Cats on Saturday, a team whose perimeter defense has been lacking for the greater part of the season. Built like a linebacker, Schofield can drive to the bucket with ease, or he can shoot the three ball. He’s currently shooting 41% behind the arc on the season.
This is a statement game for Keldon Johnson. Facing Schofield is an opportunity for Johnson to show the country as well as NBA scouts that he truly does belong. Schofield plays 100 mph on every possession and that’s been Johnson’s biggest weakness. When Johnson is playing hard, he’s a top 10 freshman in the country. However, Johnson has a tendency to disappear from games for spurts at a time. If he comes to play for 40 minutes on Saturday, this matchup will determine the game.
Advantage: Tennessee
Grant Williams
Stats: 19.4 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 3.5 APG
Analytics: PER = 31.8, TS% = 66%, USG% = 26.3 %, BPM = +14.4
PJ Washington
Stats: 14.4 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 1.8 APG
Analytics: PER = 26.3, TS% = 59%, USG% = 24.3%, BPM = +11.6
Grant Williams was running away with the SEC POY award until PJ Washington’s emergence this past month. Williams and Washington play almost like mirror images of each other and this will be a catalyst for both players in terms of the POY honors. Williams has been the more efficient player in this matchup, but Washington has closed that gap in conference play. Williams must find a way to stay on the floor the whole game on Saturday. The junior forward has fouled out of four games this year, while recording 4 fouls in three others.
Despite the loss to LSU earlier in the week, PJ Washington continued to dominate and be the focal point of the Cats offense. Washington dominated this matchup last year before leaving the game with cramps. As stated with Williams, Washington must find a way to stay on the floor in this game. Both he and Williams are superb at drawing fouls in the lane. As with Keldon Johnson, this is Washington’s statement game of the season thus far.
Advantage: PUSH
Kyle Alexander
Stats: 8.5 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 1.9 BPG
Analytics: PER = 20.1 , TS% = 66%, USG% = 15.4%, BPM = +9.3
Reid Travis
Stats: 11.6 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 0.8 BPG
Analytics: PER = 20.4, TS% = 59%, USG% = 20%, BPM = +7.1
Kyle Alexander is the Volunteers’ (UT is 6th in the country in blocks) best rim protector, blocking just under 2 per game. The 6’11” center is the kind of athlete that has given Reid Travis fits in conference play this season. For an underwhelming rebounding squad, Alexander must man the boards against Washington and Travis in this matchup. The Volunteers cannot afford to be killed on the glass.
Reid Travis hasn’t shot over 44% in his last three games and that simply must change on Saturday to help the Cats’ chances. He doesn’t have to score 20 points, but he must be a threat on the block alongside Washington. Despite his shooting struggles in the last three outings, Travis has still been rebounding well, reeling in just under 9 a game.
Advantage: PUSH
